Induction of nitric oxide via humming does not improve short-term cognitive performance or influence emotional processing

by Gregory Francis, Predrag Petrovic, Johan N. Lundström, Evelina Thunell

Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in a variety of biological functions including blood vessel dilation and neurotransmitter release. In animals, NO has been demonstrated to affect multiple behavioral outcomes, such as memory performance and arousal, whereas this link is less explored in humans. NO is created in the paranasal sinuses and studies show that humming releases paranasal NO to the nasal tract and that NO can then cross the blood brain barrier. Akin to animal models, we hypothesized that this NO may traverse into the brain and positively affect information processing. In contrast to our hypothesis, an articulatory suppression memory paradigm and a speeded detection task found deleterious effects of humming while performing the task. Likewise, we found no effect of humming on emotional processing of photos. In a fourth experiment, participants hummed before each trial in a speeded detection task, but we again found no effect on response time. In conclusion, either nasal NO does not travel to the brain, or NO in the brain does not have the expected impact on cognitive performance and emotional processing in humans. It remains possible that NO influences other cognitive processes not tested for here.