Cognitive performance over 7 days in a distressed submarine

This article contains the results from a psychological assessment of submariners undergoing a survival trial simulating conditions in a disabled submarine. The aim was to determine whether the environmental conditions and rations in a submarine escape compartment had any detrimental effects on cognitive performance.

The study was conducted in an environmental chamber in which the temperature fell from 22 degrees C to 4.4 degrees C over 2 d and then remained at 4.4 C for 5 d. Of the 11 subjects who were given daily rations of 100 g of barley sugar and 568 ml of water (none on day 1), only 4 remained for the full trial duration. Subjects were administered 2 psychometric tests (choice reaction time and short term memory) on hand held computers.

Results showed that subjects did not exhibit any significant performance decrements during the experimental phase of the trial. However anecdotal evidence from observations and subjects' self reports suggest that sustained performance was impaired.