The Effect of Cold Exposure on Cognitive Performance in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review

Marika Falla, Alessandro Micarelli, Katharina Hüfner and Giacomo Strapazzon
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Marika Falla: Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, CIMeC, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
Alessandro Micarelli: Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, Eurac Research, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Katharina Hüfner: Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital for Psychiatry II, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Giacomo Strapazzon: Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, Eurac Research, 39100 Bolzano, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-15

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.

Keywords: cognition; cold; attention; memory; processing speed; executive function; hypothermia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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