Abstract
No consistent conclusions have been reached regarding the effects of the thermal environment of office spaces on cognitive function. This study aims to achieve the following objectives: 1) to evaluate the effects of moderate heat exposure on cognitive function using EEG event-related potentials; 2) to identify physiological and psychological factors of changes in cognitive function through respiratory and circulatory measurements and questionnaires. Twenty young men and women were exposed to two environmental conditions for 3 hours: medium temperature (23°C) and high temperature (33°C) conditions, both with 60% relative humidity and air velocity less than 0.15 m/s. The results showed no significant differences in P300 amplitude of EEG event-related potentials or performance on the computational task between temperature conditions. However, physical fatigue was significantly stronger and cerebral blood flow tended to decrease over time under the high temperature condition. This suggests a negative effect on productivity, including cognitive function, during longer heat exposure.
