title: The effect of a helmet on cognitive performance is, at worst, marginal: a controlled laboratory study.
abstract: The present study looked at the effect of a helmet on cognitive performance under demanding conditions, so that small effects would become more detectible. Nineteen participants underwent 30 min of continuous visual vigilance, tracking, and auditory vigilance (VTT + AVT), while seated in a warm environment (27.2 (±0.6) °C, humidity 41 (±1)%, and 0.5 (±0.1) m s(-1) wind speed). The participants wore a helmet in one session and no helmet in the other, in random order. Comfort and temperature perception were measured at the end of each session. Helmet-wearing was associated with reduced comfort (p = 0.001) and increased temperature perception (p < 0.001), compared to not wearing a helmet. Just one out of nine cognitive parameters showed a significant effect of helmet-wearing (p = .032), disappearing in a post-hoc comparison. These results resolve previous disparate studies to suggest that, although helmets can be uncomfortable, any effect of wearing a helmet on cognitive performance is at worst marginal.
authors.affiliation: TNO, CBRN Protection, Lange Kleiweg 137, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, the Netherlands. Electronic address: niels.bogerd@tno.nl.
authors.forename: Cornelis P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Bogerd
authors.affiliation: University of Bath, Department of Psychology, Bath BA2 7AY, England, UK.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Empa, Laboratory for Protection and Physiology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9011 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Brühwiler
authors.affiliation: Empa, Laboratory for Protection and Physiology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9011 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: René M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D006260:Head Protective Devices / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011930:Reaction Time; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Cognitive performance; Headgear; Helmet