Research Design Connection: Air Quality and Cognition

by Sally Augustin, Ph.D. | January 9th, 2016

  Allen and his colleagues confirmed the importance of ventilation in indoor spaces and also linked relatively common indoor air conditions to decreased cognitive performance. In the course of their study, “Twenty-four (24) participants spent six full work days (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) in an environmentally controlled office space, [unaware of what the scientists were investigating]. On different days, they were exposed to IEQ conditions representative of Conventional (high volatile organic compound (VOC) concentration) and Green (low VOC concentration) office buildings in the U.S. Additional conditions simulated a Green building with a high outdoor air ventilation rate (labeled Green+).” Allen and team found that, “On average, cognitive scores were 61% higher on the Green building day and 101% higher on the two Green+ building days than on the Conventional building day.” These findings are particularly important because the researchers “found statistically significant declines in cognitive function scores when [carbon …