Influence of Heat Exposure on Motor Control Performance and Learning as Well as Physiological Responses to Visuomotor Accuracy Tracking Task

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 19; no. 19; p. 12328
• Main Authors: Aoki, Mao, Yamazaki, Yudai, Otsuka, Junto, Okamoto, Yumi, Takada, Shota, Shirai, Nobu, Fujimoto, Tomomi, Ochi, Genta, Yamashiro, Koya, Sato, Daisuke, Amano, Tatsuro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 28-09-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Accuracy; Alternations; Attenuation; Blood pressure; Body temperature; Body Temperature Regulation - physiology; Cardiovascular system; Density; Exercise; Exposure; Heart Rate; Heat; Hot Temperature; Humans; Male; Motor skill; Motor skill learning; Motor task performance; Physical fitness; Physiological responses; Physiology; Retention; Sensorimotor integration; Skin; Skin Temperature; Sweating; Temperature; Urine; Young Adult; Young adults; Japan; heat loss response; global warming; motor memory; skill training
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912328

This study aimed to determine whether heat exposure attenuates motor control performance and learning, and blunts cardiovascular and thermoregulatory responses to visuomotor accuracy tracking (VAT) tasks. Twenty-nine healthy young adults (22 males) were divided into two groups performing VAT tasks (5 trials × 10 blocks) in thermoneutral (NEUT: 25 °C, 45% RH,
= 14) and hot (HOT: 35 °C, 45% RH,
= 15) environments (acquisition phase). One block of the VAT task was repeated at 1, 2, and 4 h after the acquisition phase (retention phase). Heat exposure elevated skin temperature to ~3 °C with a marginally increased core body temperature. VAT performance (error distance of curve tracking) was more attenuated overall in HOT than in NEUT in the acquisition phase without improvement in magnitude alteration. Heat exposure did not affect VAT performance in the retention phase. The mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate, but not for sweating and cutaneous vascular responses to VAT acquisition trials, were more attenuated in HOT than in NEUT without any retention phase alternations. We conclude that skin temperature elevation exacerbates motor control performance and blunts cardiovascular response during the motor skill acquisition period. However, these alternations are not sustainable thereafter.