Experimental dyspnoea interferes with locomotion and cognition: a randomised trial

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Respiratory Medicine
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Chronic respiratory diseases are linked to cognitive dysfunction.
• The direct impact of dyspnoea on cognition is not well-established.
• Cortical networks for dyspnoea overlap with those for cognitive tasks, suggesting potential interference.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of experimentally induced dyspnoea on locomotion and cognitive function in healthy adults.
• To determine if loaded breathing affects performance on motor and cognitive tests.

Main Methods:

• A randomized crossover trial involving 40 healthy adults.
• Participants underwent unloaded breathing and loaded breathing (inspiratory threshold load) conditions.
• Locomotion was assessed using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test; cognitive function was evaluated using verbal fluency, Trail Making Tests (TMTs A and B), CODE test, and digit span tests.

Main Results:

• Loaded breathing significantly worsened locomotion, with a mean TUG test time difference of -0.752s (p<0.001).
• Cognitive functions including executive function, processing speed, and working memory showed better performance during unloaded breathing.
• Performance improvements were more pronounced in participants who initially experienced the loaded breathing condition.

Conclusions:

• Respiratory threshold loading, inducing dyspnoea, significantly impacts both locomotion and cognitive function in healthy individuals.
• These findings highlight the interplay between respiratory state and cognitive performance.
• Dyspnoea may impair cognitive processes through neural network interference.