On
extremely hot summer days, can we really perform our everyday tasks
with full efficiency? Can we focus our attention on what we want? Or
should we, perhaps, take at least two months off because working during
summer does not make any sense?
Once again, scientists do not disappoint us by providing research on the influence of hyperthermia on cognitive processes. In a number of studies, healthy participants were exposed to high temperatures and then tested on their cognitive abilities in comparison to control groups. The results are consistent and point to the fact that hyperthermia does indeed impair short-term memory. More specifically, it influences reaction time during visual short-term memory performance, yet does not affect the accuracy [1]. Importantly, it enhances activity in bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right intraparietal sulcus, regions important for task performance [1]. It is speculated that these activity changes are due to the higher occupation of cognitive resources in response to hyperthermia.
In other studies, it has been shown that heat exposure impairs complicated cognitive abilities, like the aforementioned visual short-term memory. However, it does not affect performance in simple tests, like attention tests [2,3]. Moreover, the authors showed beneficial effects of head cooling during hyperthermia, which preserved memory capacity, but appeared ineffective on visual recognition tests [3].
Armed with this knowledge, you always have a good excuse when something goes wrong on a very hot day. Jumping into a lake is nothing more than improving your cognitive skills! Just remember to keep a cool head, at all times!
[1] Jiang et al, Int J Hyperthermia, 2013
[2] Gaoua et al, Int J Hyperthermia, 2011
[3] Racinais et al, J Physiol, 2008
by Filip Morys, Alumni Med Neuro
This article originally appeared 2013 in CNS Volume 6, Issue 3, Heat or Cold: What's Good for the Brain?
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| Image by stux via pixabay |
Once again, scientists do not disappoint us by providing research on the influence of hyperthermia on cognitive processes. In a number of studies, healthy participants were exposed to high temperatures and then tested on their cognitive abilities in comparison to control groups. The results are consistent and point to the fact that hyperthermia does indeed impair short-term memory. More specifically, it influences reaction time during visual short-term memory performance, yet does not affect the accuracy [1]. Importantly, it enhances activity in bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right intraparietal sulcus, regions important for task performance [1]. It is speculated that these activity changes are due to the higher occupation of cognitive resources in response to hyperthermia.
In other studies, it has been shown that heat exposure impairs complicated cognitive abilities, like the aforementioned visual short-term memory. However, it does not affect performance in simple tests, like attention tests [2,3]. Moreover, the authors showed beneficial effects of head cooling during hyperthermia, which preserved memory capacity, but appeared ineffective on visual recognition tests [3].
Armed with this knowledge, you always have a good excuse when something goes wrong on a very hot day. Jumping into a lake is nothing more than improving your cognitive skills! Just remember to keep a cool head, at all times!
[1] Jiang et al, Int J Hyperthermia, 2013
[2] Gaoua et al, Int J Hyperthermia, 2011
[3] Racinais et al, J Physiol, 2008
by Filip Morys, Alumni Med Neuro
This article originally appeared 2013 in CNS Volume 6, Issue 3, Heat or Cold: What's Good for the Brain?
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