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Effect of repeated hot water immersion on cognitive performance, cerebrovascular function, sleep and biomarkers of neurodegeneration in older adults
Daniel D. Piccolo 
,
Jo Corbett ,
Joseph T. Costello ,
Thomas B. Williams ,
Thomas J. James ,
Janis K. Shute,
Mohammad G. A. Alnajjar,
Luke C. Hudson,
Poppy A. Marsh,
Veronika Praskacova,
Harry S. Mayes,
Michael Tipton ,
Maria Perissiou ,
Melitta McNarry ,
Kelly Mackintosh ,
Zoe L. Saynor ,
Anthony I. Shepherd
,
Jo Corbett ,
Joseph T. Costello ,
Thomas B. Williams ,
Thomas J. James ,
Janis K. Shute,
Mohammad G. A. Alnajjar,
Luke C. Hudson,
Poppy A. Marsh,
Veronika Praskacova,
Harry S. Mayes,
Michael Tipton ,
Maria Perissiou ,
Melitta McNarry ,
Kelly Mackintosh ,
Zoe L. Saynor ,
Anthony I. Shepherd
Experimental Physiology
Swansea University Authors:
Melitta McNarry , Kelly Mackintosh
-
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© 2026 The Author(s). Experimental Physiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Physiological Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.
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DOI (Published version): 10.1113/ep093500
Abstract
Ageing is associated with cognitive decline and increased risk of developing neurodegenerative disease. Repeated passive heating, using hot water immersion (HWI), may improve cognitive performance via improved cerebral oxygenation, but this is yet to be examined in older adults. Twelve healthy older...
| Published in: | Experimental Physiology |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0958-0670 1469-445X |
| Published: |
Wiley
2026
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| Online Access: |
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71737 |
| first_indexed |
2026-04-13T19:52:57Z |
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| last_indexed |
2026-05-09T05:05:14Z |
| id |
cronfa71737 |
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SURis |
| fullrecord |
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2026-05-08T13:17:12.5813504 v2 71737 2026-04-13 Effect of repeated hot water immersion on cognitive performance, cerebrovascular function, sleep and biomarkers of neurodegeneration in older adults 062f5697ff59f004bc8c713955988398 0000-0003-0813-7477 Melitta McNarry Melitta McNarry true false bdb20e3f31bcccf95c7bc116070c4214 0000-0003-0355-6357 Kelly Mackintosh Kelly Mackintosh true false 2026-04-13 EAAS Ageing is associated with cognitive decline and increased risk of developing neurodegenerative disease. Repeated passive heating, using hot water immersion (HWI), may improve cognitive performance via improved cerebral oxygenation, but this is yet to be examined in older adults. Twelve healthy older adults (aged: 69.2 ± 10.0 years; body mass index: 25.2 ± 4.1 kg m−2) completed a 6-week pre–post intervention study consisting of two to three weekly 1 h HWIs in 40°C water. Rectal temperature was maintained in a target range of 38.5–39.0°C during HWI. Cognitive performance (working memory via 1 and 2-back, inhibition via 2-choice reaction time, logical reasoning via logical relations) and cerebral oxygenation (Δoxyhaemoglobin, Δdeoxyhaemoglobin, Δtotal haemoglobin and Δtissue saturation index) were assessed during the first and final HWI sessions (pre-, immediately post- and 3 h post-HWI). Common carotid artery blood flow (CCA-BF), sleep quality (7-day baseline and final week), plasma [amyloid-β] 42 (Aβ42), and [phosphorylated tau] (p-tau), were measured pre- and post-intervention. Repeated HWI improved 1-back (P = 0.023) and logical reasoning (P = 0.002) performance, but not 2-back or 2-choice reaction time (P > 0.05). Cerebral oxygenation was acutely reduced immediately post-HWI (all parameters P < 0.05), but returned to baseline 3 h post-HWI, with no chronic adaptation. CCA-BF, sleep quality, [Aβ42] and [p-tau] all remained unchanged at 6 weeks (P > 0.05). Repeated HWI improves cognitive domains of logical reasoning and working memory without altering cerebral oxygenation, CCA-BF, sleep or neurodegenerative biomarkers. Further investigation into the underlying mechanisms for cognitive performance improvements via HWI is warranted. Journal Article Experimental Physiology 0 Wiley 0958-0670 1469-445X ageing, exercise mimetic, passive heat therapy, working memory 29 4 2026 2026-04-29 10.1113/ep093500 COLLEGE NANME Engineering and Applied Sciences School COLLEGE CODE EAAS Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee SPATEX and British and Irish Spa and Hot Tub Association (BISHTA). Grant Number: 00229288; Ceperich Educational Trust 2026-05-08T13:17:12.5813504 2026-04-13T20:49:37.9622244 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Sport and Exercise Sciences Daniel D. Piccolo 0009-0001-1482-4268 1 Jo Corbett 0000-0002-6552-6471 2 Joseph T. Costello 0000-0001-9510-7932 3 Thomas B. Williams 0000-0002-3506-3111 4 Thomas J. James 0000-0003-1470-9400 5 Janis K. Shute 6 Mohammad G. A. Alnajjar 7 Luke C. Hudson 8 Poppy A. Marsh 9 Veronika Praskacova 10 Harry S. Mayes 11 Michael Tipton 0000-0002-7928-8451 12 Maria Perissiou 0000-0002-3974-2250 13 Melitta McNarry 0000-0003-0813-7477 14 Kelly Mackintosh 0000-0003-0355-6357 15 Zoe L. Saynor 0000-0003-0674-8477 16 Anthony I. Shepherd 0000-0001-6392-7944 17 71737__36683__6778346c001540e59b80c75330d678ea.pdf 71737.VOR.pdf 2026-05-08T13:14:30.4406660 Output 1490092 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2026 The Author(s). Experimental Physiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Physiological Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| title |
Effect of repeated hot water immersion on cognitive performance, cerebrovascular function, sleep and biomarkers of neurodegeneration in older adults |
| spellingShingle |
Effect of repeated hot water immersion on cognitive performance, cerebrovascular function, sleep and biomarkers of neurodegeneration in older adults Melitta McNarry Kelly Mackintosh |
| title_short |
Effect of repeated hot water immersion on cognitive performance, cerebrovascular function, sleep and biomarkers of neurodegeneration in older adults |
| title_full |
Effect of repeated hot water immersion on cognitive performance, cerebrovascular function, sleep and biomarkers of neurodegeneration in older adults |
| title_fullStr |
Effect of repeated hot water immersion on cognitive performance, cerebrovascular function, sleep and biomarkers of neurodegeneration in older adults |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Effect of repeated hot water immersion on cognitive performance, cerebrovascular function, sleep and biomarkers of neurodegeneration in older adults |
| title_sort |
Effect of repeated hot water immersion on cognitive performance, cerebrovascular function, sleep and biomarkers of neurodegeneration in older adults |
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062f5697ff59f004bc8c713955988398 bdb20e3f31bcccf95c7bc116070c4214 |
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062f5697ff59f004bc8c713955988398_***_Melitta McNarry bdb20e3f31bcccf95c7bc116070c4214_***_Kelly Mackintosh |
| author |
Melitta McNarry Kelly Mackintosh |
| author2 |
Daniel D. Piccolo Jo Corbett Joseph T. Costello Thomas B. Williams Thomas J. James Janis K. Shute Mohammad G. A. Alnajjar Luke C. Hudson Poppy A. Marsh Veronika Praskacova Harry S. Mayes Michael Tipton Maria Perissiou Melitta McNarry Kelly Mackintosh Zoe L. Saynor Anthony I. Shepherd |
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Experimental Physiology |
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10.1113/ep093500 |
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Wiley |
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Faculty of Science and Engineering |
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School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Sport and Exercise Sciences{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Sport and Exercise Sciences |
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Ageing is associated with cognitive decline and increased risk of developing neurodegenerative disease. Repeated passive heating, using hot water immersion (HWI), may improve cognitive performance via improved cerebral oxygenation, but this is yet to be examined in older adults. Twelve healthy older adults (aged: 69.2 ± 10.0 years; body mass index: 25.2 ± 4.1 kg m−2) completed a 6-week pre–post intervention study consisting of two to three weekly 1 h HWIs in 40°C water. Rectal temperature was maintained in a target range of 38.5–39.0°C during HWI. Cognitive performance (working memory via 1 and 2-back, inhibition via 2-choice reaction time, logical reasoning via logical relations) and cerebral oxygenation (Δoxyhaemoglobin, Δdeoxyhaemoglobin, Δtotal haemoglobin and Δtissue saturation index) were assessed during the first and final HWI sessions (pre-, immediately post- and 3 h post-HWI). Common carotid artery blood flow (CCA-BF), sleep quality (7-day baseline and final week), plasma [amyloid-β] 42 (Aβ42), and [phosphorylated tau] (p-tau), were measured pre- and post-intervention. Repeated HWI improved 1-back (P = 0.023) and logical reasoning (P = 0.002) performance, but not 2-back or 2-choice reaction time (P > 0.05). Cerebral oxygenation was acutely reduced immediately post-HWI (all parameters P < 0.05), but returned to baseline 3 h post-HWI, with no chronic adaptation. CCA-BF, sleep quality, [Aβ42] and [p-tau] all remained unchanged at 6 weeks (P > 0.05). Repeated HWI improves cognitive domains of logical reasoning and working memory without altering cerebral oxygenation, CCA-BF, sleep or neurodegenerative biomarkers. Further investigation into the underlying mechanisms for cognitive performance improvements via HWI is warranted. |
| published_date |
2026-04-29T06:42:09Z |
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1864869483585208320 |
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11.104733 |