Emerging effects of temperature on human cognition, affect, and behaviour

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Environmental Health
• Psychology

Background:

• Human core body temperature is tightly regulated around 37°C.
• Global temperatures have risen significantly, posing challenges to human thermoregulation.
• Understanding temperature's impact on human functioning is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of how ambient and body temperature affect cognitive, affective, and behavioral domains.
• To examine findings from observational and experimental studies in healthy individuals and those with mental disorders.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of observational and experimental studies.
• Analysis of research on healthy individuals and individuals with mental disorders.
• Synthesis of findings on thermoregulation and psychological outcomes.

Main Results:

• Lower ambient/skin temperatures may increase the need for social connection.
• Higher ambient temperatures are linked to increased conflict, psychotic/depressive symptoms, and suicide.
• Mild hypo- and hyperthermia show paradoxical effects, with potential long-term benefits for depression treatment.

Conclusions:

• Temperature is intrinsically linked to human cognition, affect, and behavior.
• Projected global warming necessitates further research on heat's mental health impacts.
• Investigating the mechanisms linking heat exposure to mental health outcomes is urgent.