Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, CIMeC, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy.
Institute of Mountain Emergency Medicine, Eurac Research, 39100 Bolzano, Italy.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 15;18(18):9725. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18189725.
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.
冷暴露后认知的几个方面都会受到影响，但关于受影响的认知领域却有相互矛盾的结果。本系统评价的目的是评估特定冷暴露对健康受试者认知表现的影响。根据系统评价和荟萃分析的首选报告项目，使用 MEDLINE（通过 PubMed）、EMBASE（Scopus）和 PsycINFO 数据库进行了系统搜索。纳入标准为暴露于冷环境（模拟或不模拟）的健康受试者，以及具有实验设计的与冷暴露相关的认知表现。文献检索确定了 18 项研究，其中 8 项研究调查了冷空气暴露对健康受试者认知表现的影响，10 项研究调查了冷水浸泡对健康受试者认知表现的影响。这些研究之间存在一些差异（达到的环境温度、暴露时间、时间和认知测试管理类型）。在大多数实验环境中（18 项研究中的 15 项），冷暴露甚至在意外低体温发生之前就会导致 CP 受损。研究最多和受影响的认知领域是注意力和处理速度、执行功能和记忆。性别差异以及重复暴露和可能适应对认知表现的影响需要进一步研究来证实。
