The effects of isothermic heat acclimation on simple and complex cognitive performance in the heat
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Longer heat acclimation (HA) protocols more effectively improve physical performance than shorter ones, but the effect of HA duration on cognitive performance remains unclear. Twelve participants performed a 45-min cycling heat stress test [(HST) 40%Wmax; 40°C; 50% RH] on the first (HST1), seventh (HST7), and thirteenth (HST13) day of testing with five consecutive days of isothermic HA (60-min; rectal temperature ~38.5°C) between each HST. Simple (five-choice reaction time [RT]) and complex (spatial working memory [SWM]) tests were completed before and after each HST. Reaction and Movement times were slower before HST13 than HST1. Fewer errors were made in the SWM test before HST13 in the 6- (0.0v2.7), 8- (1.8v7.6) and 12- (18v31) box tests and before HST7 in the 6- and 8-box tests (1.9v7.6) compared to HST1. Search strategy was improved before HST7 (4.5v6.8) and HST13 (4.3v6.8). Fewer errors were made in the 8-box test after HST7 (1.6v8.8) and HST13 (1.1v8.6). No other differences were observed (p > 0.05). HA improved performance in some of the more challenging tasks but had no effect on the most complex task (12-box) when physiological strain was highest. 10-days of HA was more effective than 5-days at improving some aspects of cognitive performance.
Source: Journal of Sports Sciences
Authors: Jodie N. Moss, Mitchell R. Naughton, Richard W.A. Mackenzie, Steven J. Trangmar, Thomas C. Reeve, Christopher J. Tyler
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7125245757