Key result
High-altitude residents (>3,000 m) demonstrated significantly lower scores on the go-no-go test (8.8 vs 9.8 correct responses) compared to low-altitude residents upon acute exposure to 4,860 m.
Why the study?
Does altitude of residence affect cognitive and psychomotor function upon acute exposure to very high altitude in Ecuadorians?
Cross-Sectional (n=132)
No
Does altitude of residence affect cognitive and psychomotor function upon acute exposure to very high altitude in Ecuadorians?
Absolute Event Rate: 8.8% vs 9.8%
p-value: p=<0.001
High-altitude residents demonstrated impaired cognitive and psychomotor function upon acute exposure to 4,860 m compared to lower-altitude residents, suggesting possible maladaptation to chronic hypobaric hypoxia.
May indicate maladaptation in high-altitude residents; leaves open prospective confirmation of cognitive risks at extreme altitude.
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.
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Davis et al. (2015) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy (acute high-altitude exposure) (n=132). High altitude of residence (>3,000 m) vs. Low altitude of residence (0-1,500 m) was evaluated on Go-no-go test correct responses (p=<0.001). High-altitude residents (>3,000 m) demonstrated significantly lower scores on the go-no-go test (8.8 vs 9.8 correct responses) compared to low-altitude residents upon acute exposure to 4,860 m.
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