Spirometry has added value over electrodermal activity as a physiological marker of mental load in male subjects

Abstract

The objective distinction of different types of mental demands as well as their intensity is relevant for research and practical application but poses a challenge for established physiological methods. We investigated whether respiratory gases (oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide output) are suitable to distinguish between emotional stress and cognitive load. To this end, we compared the application of spirometry with an established procedure, namely electrodermal activity (EDA). Our results indicate that electrodermal activity shows a strong responsivity to emotional stress induction, which was highly correlated with its responsivity to cognitive load. Respiratory gases were both sensitive and specific to cognitive load and had the advantage of being predictive for cognitive performance as well as self-reported emotional state. These results support the notion that respiratory gases are a valuable complement to common physiological procedures in the detection and discrimination of different mental demands.

Assessing cognitive workloads of assembly workers during multi-task switching

“…Aydemir et al found that photoplethysmograph (PPG) can replace the traditional subjective techniques for human heart rate detection in practice 26 . Neukirchen et al used vital capacity equipment to measure the respiratory gases of subjects and found that respiratory gases are sensitive and specific to cognitive load 27 . The respiratory gases have the advantage of predicting cognitive performance and self-reported emotional states and can detect and distinguish different mental needs.…”

A Comprehensive Study of Human Factors, Sensory Principles, and Commercial Solutions for Future Human-Centered Working Operations in Industry 5.0

“…Considering the complexity and impact of respiration, reducing its study to a single parameter, such as respiratory rate, seems to be insufficient, being necessary more variables. These parameters are based on respiratory gases, particularly oxygen uptake (VO2) and carbon dioxide output (VCO2), which are sensitive to cognitive load and can be influenced by emotional processes [257]. Other aspects such as respiration VOLUME 11, 2023 rate, velocity, and depth, should be considered due to their alteration in different mental states and diseases.…”

“…There are several types of spirometers that measure the volume of air in different ways such as using pressure difference, ultrasonics, water, or a wright peal flowmeter spirometer. This technique can be useful for determining VO2 and VCO2 levels [257], [259].…”