Event-related potential amplitude and latency changes of the P300 wave in response to whole-body cooling.

• Cold exposure can result in core body temperature reductions and subsequent physiological and psychological effects. While the physiological effects of core temperature cooling have been well documented, a precise method of quantification of cognitive performance during cold stress is yet to be established. We investigated the effects of a 1oC drop in rectal temperature in male subjects at two different exposure temperatures (5oC and 12oC circulated water in a liquid-cooled garment) on the P300 event-related potential waveform during a dual modality (auditory and visual) continuous performance task. Changes in waveform amplitude and latency suggested modification of task engagement or perceived difficulty, and speed of processing, respectively. Decreases in amplitude occurred in both 5oC and 12oC conditions, and increases in latency occurred in the 5oC condition compared to control subjects. It was suggested that cognitive performance suffered in terms of task engagement as rectal temperature decreased, with speed of processing slowed in the 5oC condition. The further use of event-related potential recordings in future thermal studies is discussed.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Mikrobiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Microbiology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

hypothermia

event-related potential

core temperature

cognitive performance

Organism biology

Organismbiologi

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

ovr (subject category)