Abstract
Several aspects of cognition can be affected after cold exposure, but contradictory results have been reported regarding affected cognitive domains. The aim of the current systematic review was to evaluate the effects of specific cold exposure on cognitive performance in healthy subjects. A systematic search was performed using MEDLINE (through PubMed), EMBASE (Scopus) and PsycINFO databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Inclusion criteria were healthy subjects exposed to a cold environment (either simulated or not) and cognitive performance related to cold exposure with an experimental design. The literature search identified 18 studies, eight studies investigated the effect of cold air exposure and ten the effect of cold water immersion on cognitive performance of healthy subjects. There were several differences among the studies (environmental temperature reached, time of exposure, timing, and type of cognitive test administration). Cold exposure induced in most of the experimental settings (15 of 18) an impairment of CP even before accidental hypothermia was established. The most investigated and affected cognitive domains were attention and processing speed, executive function, and memory. Gender differences and effects of repeated exposure and possible acclimation on cognitive performance need further studies to be confirmed.
Highlights
Published: 15 September 2021The regulation of body temperature is activated in a cold environment
The main findings of the current systematic review are that acute cold exposure induced an impairment of cognitive performance (CP) in most of the experimental settings even in healthy subjects in a simulated setting and before accidental hypothermia was established
The majority of the studies analyzed in this review show that a single acute exposure to cold impairs CP and that the extent of these effects depends mainly on individual physiological responses to cold and on the extent of the exposure in terms of duration and Tco reached
Summary
Published: 15 September 2021The regulation of body temperature is activated in a cold environment. The primary responses to cold comprise shivering, inhibition of sweating, and skin vasoconstriction which allow the maintenance of a normal core body temperature of 37 ◦ C. The PMC increases the tone of the skeletal muscle facilitating the activity of the anterior motor neuron, and when the tone increases above a critical level the shivering starts, further increasing metabolic rate and heat production. Along with these subconscious mechanisms for body temperature control, a behavioral control of temperature exists.
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