Cognitive and psychomotor responses to high-altitude exposure in sea level and high-altitude residents of Ecuador

Journal of Physiological Anthropology

Cory Schall¹  Jessica Thorington¹  David Moilanen¹  Nathan Garvin¹  Dale R Wagner²  John E Davis¹ 

[1] Department of Integrative Physiology and Health Science, Alma College, 614 Superior Street, Alma 48801, MI, USA;Human Movement Science Program, Utah State University, 7000 Old Main Hill, Logan 84322, UT, USA

关键词: Cognitive function;    High-altitude natives;    Adaptation;    Altitude;   

Others  :  1132918
DOI  :  10.1186/s40101-014-0039-x

 received in 2014-08-29, accepted in 2014-12-26,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

High-altitude inhabitants have cardiovascular and respiratory adaptations that are advantageous for high-altitude living, but they may have impaired cognitive function. This study evaluated the influence of altitude of residence on cognitive and psychomotor function upon acute exposure to very high altitude.

Findings

Ecuadorians (31 residing at 0–1,500 m [LOW], 78 from 1,501–3,000 m [MOD], and 23 living >3,000 m [HIGH]) were tested upon their arrival to a hut at 4,860 m on Mount Chimborazo. Cognitive/psychomotor measurements included a go-no-go test (responding to a non-visual stimulus), a verbal fluency test (verbalizing a series of words specific to a particular category), and a hand movement test (rapidly repeating a series of hand positions). Mean differences between the three altitude groups on these cognitive/psychomotor tests were evaluated with one-way ANOVA. There were no significant differences (p = 0.168) between LOW, MOD, and HIGH for the verbal fluency test. However, the go-no-go test was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the HIGH group (8.8 ± 1.40 correct responses) than the LOW (9.8 ± 0.61) or MOD (9.8 ± 0.55) groups, and both MOD (97.9 ± 31.2) and HIGH (83.5 ± 26.7) groups completed fewer correct hand movements than the LOW (136.6 ± 37.9) subjects (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Based on this field study, high-altitude residents appear to have some impaired cognitive function suggesting the possibility of maladaptation to long-term exposure to hypobaric hypoxia.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Davis et al.; licensee BioMed Central.

【 图 表 】

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