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Neck cooling and cognitive performance following exercise-induced hyperthermia

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Abstract

Purpose

To assess the efficacy of neck cooling on cognitive performance following exertional hyperthermia.

Methods

Twelve healthy men completed two experimental trials [control (CON) and neck cooling collar (NCC)] in a counter-balanced design. They ran on a treadmill at 70 % VO2peak under warm and humid conditions (dry bulb temperature: 30.2 ± 0.3 °C, relative humidity: 71 ± 2 %) for 75 min or until volitional exhaustion. Gastrointestinal, neck and skin temperatures, heart rate and subjective ratings were assessed. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were measured before and after each run. Cognitive performance comprising symbol digit matching, search and memory, digit span, choice reaction time and psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) were assessed before and after exercise.

Results

Mean gastrointestinal temperature was similar after exercise between trials (CON: 39.5 ± 0.4 °C vs. NCC: 39.6 ± 0.3 °C; p = 0.15). Mean neck temperature was lowered in NCC compared to CON after the run (36.4 ± 1.6 °C vs. NCC: 26.0 ± 0.3 °C; p < 0.001). Exercise-induced hyperthermia improved mean reaction time in the symbol digit matching test (−134 ± 154 ms; p < 0.05) and the PVT (−18 ± 30 ms; p < 0.05). Maximum span was increased in the digit span test (1 ± 2; p < 0.05). Application of NCC reduced the number of search errors made in level 3 of the search and memory test (p < 0.05). Mean serum BDNF levels were increased following exercise-induced hyperthermia in both trials (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Exercise-induced hyperthermia improves working memory and alertness. Neck cooling may only enhance performance in tasks of higher complexity.

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Abbreviations

CON:

Control

NCC:

Neck cooling collar

BDNF:

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor

PVT:

Psychomotor vigilance test

T gi :

Gastrointestinal temperature

S100B:

S100 calcium binding protein B

VO2peak :

Peak aerobic capacity

RPE:

Rating of perceived exertion

RTS:

Rating of thermal sensation

SPES:

Swedish performance evaluation system

TrkB:

Tropomyosin receptor kinase B

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Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude to Dr. Christopher Tyler for his advice on the neck collar and Ms. Lydia Law, Dr. Frederick Tey and Ms. Tan Ying Ying for their inputs on the selection of cognitive tests. We also like to thank Ms. Yvonne Yeo, Ms. Teo Ya Shi, Ms. Jacinta Yeo and Mr. David Fun for their assistance during data collection. The authors would also like to thank all participants for their commitment to the study. The study is funded by DSO National Laboratories, Singapore, and the National University of Singapore.

Conflict of interest

All authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Combat Protection and Performance Programme, Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute, DSO National Laboratories, Singapore, Republic of Singapore

    Jason K. W. Lee & Priscilla W. P. Fan

  2. Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore

    Jason K. W. Lee, Aldrich C. H. Koh, Serene X. T. Koh & Glen J. X. Liu

  3. Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore

    Jason K. W. Lee

  4. Cardiff School of Sport, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK

    Amanda Q. X. Nio

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  1. Jason K. W. Lee
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  2. Aldrich C. H. Koh
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  4. Glen J. X. Liu
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Correspondence to Jason K. W. Lee.

Additional information

Communicated by George Havenith.

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Lee, J.K.W., Koh, A.C.H., Koh, S.X.T. et al. Neck cooling and cognitive performance following exercise-induced hyperthermia. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 375–384 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2774-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-013-2774-9

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