Effect of negative ion atmospheric loading on cognitive performance in human volunteers.
Year: 1992
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: Negative ion atmospheric loading has been reported to affect a range of psychological functions, from alertness to circadian rhythms, and has been suggested to benefit a variety of medical conditions, from allergies to migraine. In a double-blind study planned to assess the effect of negative ions on cognitive performance in human volunteers, 65 female graduate course students were randomized into ionized atmosphere (n = 34) and control (n = 31) groups. The following cognitive tasks were administered: Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Addition Test, Visual Memory (Complex Figure) Test, Verbal Memeory (Complex Passage) Test, Ideational Fluency Test and Clerical Speed and Accuracy test. On all but the last two tests, the negative ion groupperfonned significantly better (to a 15-40% extent) than controls. It is concluded that negative ionization of the atmosphere by artificial means may be of benefit in certain common, practical situation in which depletion of these ions occurs.
Source: PubMed Central
Authors: A C Andrade, C Fernandes, L Verghese, C Andrade
Language: English
Subfield: Biophysics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1461088207