“Cognitive Performance and Mood During Respirator Wear and Exercise”, 1999 (; similar):
The combined effects of respirator wear and low-intensity work on decision making and mood were assessed in 8 subjects during 60 min of low-intensity treadmill walking with and without a respirator to determine whether the stresses of respirator wear negatively impact decision making.
Subjects completed walks during no mask wear, wear of a respirator with high inspiratory resistance, and wear of a respirator with low resistance. Cognitive tasks included choice reaction (CHO), serial addition/subtraction (ADD), logical reasoning (LOG), and serial reaction (SER). Mood was measured using a questionnaire with 36 adjectives representing the factors of activity, anger, depression, fear, happiness, and fatigue. Data were obtained pre-exercise, after 20 and 40 min of walking, and post-exercise.
Combined respirator wear and low-intensity exercise did not affect accuracy, speed, or throughput in any of the cognitive tasks. Likewise, no statistically-significant effects of condition on the 6 mood factor scores were observed.
These results show that the combination of respirator wear and low-level activity does not adversely alter cognitive performance or mood.