Respiratory Changes in Response to Cognitive Load: A Systematic Review

Overview

Journal Neural Plast

Specialty Neurology

Date 2016 Jul 13

PMID 27403347

Citations 69

Authors

Mariel Grassmann

Elke Vlemincx

Andreas von Leupoldt

Justin M Mittelstadt

Omer Van den Bergh

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

When people focus attention or carry out a demanding task, their breathing changes. But which parameters of respiration vary exactly and can respiration reliably be used as an index of cognitive load? These questions are addressed in the present systematic review of empirical studies investigating respiratory behavior in response to cognitive load. Most reviewed studies were restricted to time and volume parameters while less established, yet meaningful parameters such as respiratory variability have rarely been investigated. The available results show that respiratory behavior generally reflects cognitive processing and that distinct parameters differ in sensitivity: While mentally demanding episodes are clearly marked by faster breathing and higher minute ventilation, respiratory amplitude appears to remain rather stable. The present findings further indicate that total variability in respiratory rate is not systematically affected by cognitive load whereas the correlated fraction decreases. In addition, we found that cognitive load may lead to overbreathing as indicated by decreased end-tidal CO2 but is also accompanied by elevated oxygen consumption and CO2 release. However, additional research is needed to validate the findings on respiratory variability and gas exchange measures. We conclude by outlining recommendations for future research to increase the current understanding of respiration under cognitive load.

Citing Articles

Physiological fingerprinting of audiovisual warnings in assisted driving conditions: an investigation of fMRI and peripheral physiological indicators.

Li Y, Baqapuri H, Keller M, Wolter S, Zhang C, Cong F Brain Struct Funct. 2025; 230(2):31.

PMID: 39812881 PMC: 11735491. DOI: 10.1007/s00429-025-02891-y.

Heart rate dynamics for cognitive load estimation in a driving simulation task.

Arutyunova K, Bakhchina A, Konovalov D, Margaryan M, Filimonov A, Shishalov I Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):31656.

PMID: 39738154 PMC: 11685601. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-79728-x.

Clinical Validation of Respiratory Rate Estimation Using Acoustic Signals from a Wearable Device.

Abdulsadig R, Devani N, Singh S, Patel Z, Pramono R, Mandal S J Clin Med. 2024; 13(23).

PMID: 39685655 PMC: 11642485. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13237199.

Modulation of physical exercise intensity in motor-cognitive training of adults using the SKILLCOURT technology.

Erdogan G, Karsten B, Vogt L, Mierau A, Hulsdunker T Physiol Rep. 2024; 12(23):e70136.

PMID: 39638640 PMC: 11620832. DOI: 10.14814/phy2.70136.

Breathing signatures of semantic and phonemic verbal fluency and their impact on test performance in a sample of young Norwegian adults.

Gullsvag M, Itaguchi Y, Rodriguez-Aranda C PLoS One. 2024; 19(12):e0314908.

PMID: 39637087 PMC: 11620639. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0314908.

References

Fournier L, Wilson G, SWAIN C . Electrophysiological, behavioral, and subjective indexes of workload when performing multiple tasks: manipulations of task difficulty and training. Int J Psychophysiol. 1999; 31(2):129-45. DOI: 10.1016/s0167-8760(98)00049-x. View

Papadelis C, Kourtidou-Papadeli C, Bamidis P, Albani M . Effects of imagery training on cognitive performance and use of physiological measures as an assessment tool of mental effort. Brain Cogn. 2007; 64(1):74-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2007.01.001. View

Bernardi L, Valenti C, Castoldi S, Passino C, Spadacini G, Sleight P . Effects of controlled breathing, mental activity and mental stress with or without verbalization on heart rate variability. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2000; 35(6):1462-9. DOI: 10.1016/s0735-1097(00)00595-7. View

Denver J, Reed S, Porges S . Methodological issues in the quantification of respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Biol Psychol. 2006; 74(2):286-94. PMC: 1828207. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2005.09.005. View

Perez W, Tobin M . Separation of factors responsible for change in breathing pattern induced by instrumentation. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1985; 59(5):1515-20. DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1985.59.5.1515. View

McKay L, Evans K, Frackowiak R, Corfield D . Neural correlates of voluntary breathing in humans. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2003; 95(3):1170-8. DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00641.2002. View

Suess W, Alexander A, Smith D, Sweeney H, Marion R . The effects of psychological stress on respiration: a preliminary study of anxiety and hyperventilation. Psychophysiology. 1980; 17(6):535-40. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1980.tb02293.x. View

Matthews G, Warm J, Reinerman-Jones L, Langheim L, Washburn D, Tripp L . Task engagement, cerebral blood flow velocity, and diagnostic monitoring for sustained attention. J Exp Psychol Appl. 2010; 16(2):187-203. DOI: 10.1037/a0019572. View

Van den Bergh O, Zaman J, Bresseleers J, Verhamme P, Van Diest I . Anxiety, pCO2 and cerebral blood flow. Int J Psychophysiol. 2013; 89(1):72-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2013.05.011. View

10.

Carter C, Braver T, Barch D, Botvinick M, Noll D, Cohen J . Anterior cingulate cortex, error detection, and the online monitoring of performance. Science. 1998; 280(5364):747-9. DOI: 10.1126/science.280.5364.747. View

11.

Beda A, Jandre F, Phillips D, Giannella-Neto A, Simpson D . Heart-rate and blood-pressure variability during psychophysiological tasks involving speech: influence of respiration. Psychophysiology. 2007; 44(5):767-78. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2007.00542.x. View

12.

Kodesh E, Kizony R . Measuring cardiopulmonary parameters during dual-task while walking. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2013; 25(2):155-60. DOI: 10.1515/jbcpp-2013-0123. View

13.

Zaman J, Van den Bergh O, Fannes S, Van Diest I . Learning to breathe? Feedforward regulation of the inspiratory motor drive. Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2014; 201:1-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2014.05.009. View

14.

Gaillard A . Comparing the concepts of mental load and stress. Ergonomics. 1993; 36(9):991-1005. DOI: 10.1080/00140139308967972. View

15.

Stegen K, De Bruyne K, Rasschaert W, Van de Woestijne K, Van den Bergh O . Fear-relevant images as conditioned stimuli for somatic complaints, respiratory behavior, and reduced end-tidal pCO2. J Abnorm Psychol. 1999; 108(1):143-52. DOI: 10.1037//0021-843x.108.1.143. View

16.

Kreibig S . Autonomic nervous system activity in emotion: a review. Biol Psychol. 2010; 84(3):394-421. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2010.03.010. View

17.

Boiten F, Frijda N, Wientjes C . Emotions and respiratory patterns: review and critical analysis. Int J Psychophysiol. 1994; 17(2):103-28. DOI: 10.1016/0167-8760(94)90027-2. View

18.

Herbert B, Pollatos O, Flor H, Enck P, Schandry R . Cardiac awareness and autonomic cardiac reactivity during emotional picture viewing and mental stress. Psychophysiology. 2009; 47(2):342-54. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2009.00931.x. View

19.

Cacioppo J, Rourke P, Tassinary L, Baron R . Rudimentary physiological effects of mere observation. Psychophysiology. 1990; 27(2):177-86. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1990.tb00368.x. View

20.

Masaoka Y, Homma I . Expiratory time determined by individual anxiety levels in humans. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1999; 86(4):1329-36. DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1999.86.4.1329. View