Physiological and perceptual changes underly the decline in cognitive-motor performance during acute and repeated cold stress.

Abstract

This study examined the impact of cold-induced stress on cognitive and motor performance. Thirteen males (19.7 ± 0.23 yr) trained on a computer-based visuomotor task once daily for six consecutive days. The task (19 min per trial; joystick-controlled falling blocks) included brief rest/training intervals. After the first three trials, participants were allocated to control (CON, n = 5) or cold stress (CS, n = 8). On days 4-6, CS completed a 60-min head-out cold-water immersion immediately before the task, producing a ~ 0.5°C drop in core temperature, whereas CON remained stable. Heart rate, ventilation, respiratory frequency (R _f), inspiratory drive (I _d), oxygen consumption, epinephrine, norepinephrine (NEP), cortisol, and subjective measures (thermal comfort, TC; temporal judgment, TJ) were recorded pre-, during, and end-of-trial. CON improved performance by 84%, whereas CS performance was attenuated;(p < 0.01). CON showed no significant physiological or subjective changes. In CS, performance correlated inversely with R _f (r =  -0.56, p = 0.004), and regression indicated I _d, NEP, Rf, TC, and TJ predicted performance;(p < 0.0001; R² = 0.87). Thus, repeated pre-task cold exposure impaired performance, consistent with a complex interaction between physiological and subjective responses.