Vpliv vročinske obremenitve na kognitivno zmogljivost : magistrsko delo

Podgornik, Sara (author), Mekjavić, Igor B. (mentor), Ciuha, Urša (co-mentor)

Neposredno posledico globalnega segrevanja predstavljajo daljši, bolj pogosti in bolj intenzivni vročinski valovi. Višja temperatura okolja zmanjša učinkovitost odvajanja toplote iz telesa in s tem vpliva na povišanje temperature telesnega jedra, ki naj bi v optimalnih pogojih znašala približno 37 °C. Povišana temperatura telesnega jedra lahko vodi do vročinske obremenitve, ki se odraža tako na zdravju kot na vedenju in kognitivni zmogljivosti. V poklicnih okoljih to vpliva na varnost zaposlenih in na njihovo produktivnost. Tako v industriji kot na terenu so zaposleni izpostavljeni zahtevnim nalogam, ki v kombinaciji z vročinsko obremenitvijo povečajo tveganje človeških napak z morebitnimi hudimi posledicami. Zaradi številnih poklicnih in vsakodnevnih okoliščin, v katerih so posamezniki izpostavljeni visokim temperaturam, je pomembno, da raziščemo učinke vročinske obremenitve na zmožnost delovanja in počutje ter preučimo strategije, ki utegnejo omiliti negativne posledice vročinskega stresa. V raziskavi smo želeli preučiti, kako izpostavljenost vročinskemu stresu v klimatski komori vpliva na uspešnost reševanja kognitivnih nalog (Stroopov test in Trail Making Test) pri vojakih Slovenske vojske. V raziskavi smo testirali prototip evaporacijskega jopiča, da bi preučili njegovo učinkovitost pri zmanjševanju morebitnih negativnih posledic vročinske obremenitve. Rezultati kognitivnih testov niso pokazali statistično značilnih razlik v reakcijskih časih in številu napak pred izpostavljenostjo vročinskemu stresu in po njej, razen za približno dve sekundi hitrejšega reakcijskega časa pri reševanju Stroopovega testa po končanem eksperimentu v vseh pogojih. Med uporabo evaporacijskega jopiča so preiskovanci poročali o večjem toplotnem udobju, medtem ko statistično značilnih razlik v fizioloških odzivih nismo zaznali. Izsledki in opažanja naše raziskave so lahko v pomoč pri razvoju bolj učinkovitega prototipa evaporacijskega jopiča, ki bi ga lahko uporabljali v delovnih okoljih, kjer je ohranjanje udobne temperature okolja zahtevno ali celo ni mogoče.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: vročinska obremenitev, kognitivna zmogljivost, Stroopov test, Trail Making Test, evaporacijski jopič
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education
• Place of publishing: Ljubljana
• Publisher: S. Podgornik
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 1 spletni vir (1 datoteka PDF (54 str.))
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-149640
• UDC: 165.194(043.2)
• DOI: 20.500.12556/RUL-149640
• COBISS.SI-ID: 164368643
• Publication date in RUL: 08.09.2023

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: Effects of Heat Stress on Cognitive Performance

Abstract

Increasingly frequent and longer heat waves of greater magnitude, are a direct consequence of global warming. The increased temperature of the environment reduces the efficiency of heat removal from the body and consequently affects the increase in the body core temperature, which should be maintained at around 37 °C under optimal conditions. An elevated body core temperature can lead to heat strain, which affects health as well as behavior and cognitive performance. In professional settings, this can affect employee safety and work productivity. Both in industry and in the field, employees are exposed to demanding tasks, which, in combination with heat stress, can lead to a greater risk of human error with potentially serious consequences. Due to a number of occupational as well as everyday situations, where people are exposed to high temperatures, it is important to understand how heat stress affects our ability to function, as well as our well-being and to also explore strategies that can mitigate the negative effects of heat stress. The aim of this study was to examine how exposure to heat stress in a climate chamber affects performance of Slovenian army soldiers, evaluated with cognitive tasks (the Stroop test and the Trail Making Test). A prototype of evaporative vest was tested to investigate whether its use could mitigate potential negative effects of heat strain. The results of the cognitive tests did not show statistically significant differences in reaction times and number of errors before and after exposure to heat stress, with exception of ~2 s faster reaction times in Stroop test, which were observed after the experiment in all conditions. However, participants reported about greater thermal comfort when using the evaporative vest, although no statistically significant differences in physiological parameters were observed. The findings and observations of this study can be helpful in the development of a more effective prototype of evaporative vest that could potentially be used in work environments where maintaining a comfortable ambient temperature can be challenging or not feasible.

• Keywords: heat stress, cognitive performance, Stroop test, Trail Making Test, evaporative vest