Normobaric hypoxia overnight impairs cognitive reaction time

BMC Neuroscience

Research Article

Martin Kopp¹  Martin Faulhaber¹  Hannes Gatterer¹  Martin Burtscher¹  Stephan Pramsohler²  Stefan Wimmer³  Nikolaus Cristoph Netzer⁴ 

[1] Department of Sport Science, University Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria;Hermann Buhl Institute for Hypoxia and Sleep Medicine Research, Ghersburgstr. 9, 83043, Bad Aibling, Germany;Hermann Buhl Institute for Hypoxia and Sleep Medicine Research, Ghersburgstr. 9, 83043, Bad Aibling, Germany;Department of Sport Science, University Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria;Hermann Buhl Institute for Hypoxia and Sleep Medicine Research, Ghersburgstr. 9, 83043, Bad Aibling, Germany;Department of Sport Science, University Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria;Division of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, University Ulm, Fürstenweg 185, Ulm, Germany;

关键词: Reaction time;    Hypoxia;    Cognition;    Sleep;    Extreme altitude;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12868-017-0362-3

 received in 2016-12-05, accepted in 2017-05-10,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundImpaired reaction time in patients suffering from hypoxia during sleep, caused by sleep breathing disorders, is a well-described phenomenon. High altitude sleep is known to induce periodic breathing with central apneas and oxygen desaturations, even in perfectly healthy subjects. However, deficits in reaction time in mountaineers or workers after just some nights of hypoxia exposure are not sufficiently explored. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the impact of sleep in a normobaric hypoxic environment on reaction time divided by its cognitive and motoric components. Eleven healthy non acclimatized students (5f, 6m, 21 ± 2.1 years) slept one night at a simulated altitude of 3500 m in a normobaric hypoxic room, followed by a night with polysomnography at simulated 5500 m. Preexisting sleep disorders were excluded via BERLIN questionnaire. All subjects performed a choice reaction test (SCHUHFRIED RT, S3) at 450 m and directly after the nights at simulated 3500 and 5500 m.ResultsWe found a significant increase of cognitive reaction time with higher altitude (p = 0.026). No changes were detected in movement time (p = n.s.). Reaction time, the combined parameter of cognitive- and motoric reaction time, didn’t change either (p = n.s.). Lower SpO2 surprisingly correlated significantly with shorter cognitive reaction time (r = 0.78, p = 0.004). Sleep stage distribution and arousals at 5500 m didn’t correlate with reaction time, cognitive reaction time or movement time.ConclusionSleep in hypoxia does not seem to affect reaction time to simple tasks. The component of cognitive reaction time is increasingly delayed whereas motoric reaction time seems not to be affected. Low SpO2 and arousals are not related to increased cognitive reaction time therefore the causality remains unclear. The fact of increased cognitive reaction time after sleep in hypoxia, considering high altitude workers and mountaineering operations with overnight stays, should be further investigated.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2017