Working Memory Impairment in Pilots Exposed to Acute Hypobaric Hypoxia

Malle, Carine; Quinette, Peggy; Laisney, Mickaël; Bourrilhon, Cyprien; Boissin, Jacqueline; Desgranges, Béatrice; Eustache, Francis; Piérard, Christophe

doi:10.3357/asem.3482.2013

Cited by 64 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 12 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…As such, including a time pressure during a cognitive task may be a more effective way to demonstrate the hypoxic impairment effect given its effect on a recall task (Earles, Kersten, Berlin Mas, & Miccio, ). Indeed, this is consistent with observations of hypoxia‐related impairment of PASAT performance (Malle et al., ), a task which includes a time pressure.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…It is widely accepted that as altitude increases, complex cognitive abilities, such as working memory, become progressively impaired (reviewed in Yan, ). Studies using test batteries to examine executive function performance during hypoxia have found impairments in the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) (Malle et al., ) and Stroop Test (Turner, Barker‐Collo, Connell, & Gant, ) task performance. Despite differences in mean average error count, it is likely that we did not have the power (effect size = 0.279, observed power = 0.498) to detect any significant differences in SWM task performance as a consequence a lack of sensitivity of the SWM CANTAB task.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is widely accepted that as altitude increases, complex cognitive abilities, such as working memory, become progressively impaired (reviewed in Yan, 2014). Studies using test batteries to examine executive function performance during hypoxia have found impairments in the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) (Malle et al, 2013) and Stroop…”

Section: Cognitive Function During Hypoxia and Hypocapniamentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Isolating the independent effects of hypoxia and hyperventilation‐induced hypocapnia on cerebral haemodynamics and cognitive function

Friend

Balanos

Lucas

2019

Experimental Physiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

New Findings What is the central question of this study?What are the independent effects of hypoxia and hypocapnia on cerebral haemodynamics and cognitive function? What is the main finding and its importance?Exposure to hyperventilation‐induced hypocapnia causes cognitive impairment in both normoxia and hypoxia. In addition, supplementation of carbon dioxide during hypoxia alleviates the cognitive impairment and reverses hypocapnia‐induced vasoconstriction of the cerebrovasculature. These data provide new evidence for the independent effect of hypocapnia on the cognitive impairment associated with hypoxia. Abstract Hypoxia, which is accompanied by hypocapnia at altitude, is associated with cognitive impairment. This study examined the independent effects of hypoxia and hypocapnia on cognitive function and assessed how changes in cerebral haemodynamics may underpin cognitive performance outcomes. Single reaction time (SRT), five‐choice reaction time (CRT) and spatial working memory (SWM) tasks were completed in 20 participants at rest and after 1 h of isocapnic hypoxia (IH, end‐tidal oxygen partial pressure (P ET O2) = 45 mmHg, end‐tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure (P ETC O2) clamped at normal) and poikilocapnic hypoxia (PH, P ET O2 = 45 mmHg, P ETC O2 not clamped). A subgroup of 10 participants were also exposed to euoxic hypocapnia (EH, P ET O2 = 100 mmHg, P ETC O2 clamped 8 mmHg below normal). Middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv) and prefrontal cerebral haemodynamics were measured with transcranial Doppler and near infrared spectroscopy, respectively. IH did not affect SRT and CRT performance from rest (566 ± 50 and 594 ± 70 ms), whereas PH (721 ± 51 and 765 ± 48 ms) and EH (718 ± 55 and 755 ± 34 ms) slowed response times (P < 0.001 vs. IH). Performance on the SWM task was not altered by condition. MCAv increased during IH compared to PH (P < 0.05), which was unchanged from rest. EH caused a significant fall in MCAv and prefrontal cerebral oxygenation (P < 0.05 vs. baseline). MCAv was moderately correlated to cognitive performance (R2 = 0.266–0.289), whereas prefrontal cerebral tissue perfusion and saturation were not (P > 0.05). These findings reveal a role of hyperventilation‐induced hypocapnia per se on the development of cognitive impairment during normoxic and hypoxic exposures.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cognitive Function During Hypoxia and Hypocapniamentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Isolating the independent effects of hypoxia and hyperventilation‐induced hypocapnia on cerebral haemodynamics and cognitive function

Friend

Balanos

Lucas

2019

Experimental Physiology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, hypoxia increases pupillary response latency (29), changes perception of stimulus intensity (30), impairs color vision (31), and reduces reaction time [(RT; (29,(32)(33)(34)]. Further, hypoxia often results in decreases in working memory (35,36), as well as other higherorder cognitive tasks [(37); for a review see, (38)]. Given these documented impairments under hypoxic conditions, there is great interest in the aviation and diving communities to develop novel methods for assessing the brain's response to hypoxia in otherwise healthy individuals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impaired Sensory Processing During Low-Oxygen Exposure: A Noninvasive Approach to Detecting Changes in Cognitive States

Seech

Funke²,

Sharp

et al. 2020

Front. Psychiatry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The ability to detect novelty in our environment is a critical sensory function. A reliable set of event-related potentials (ERP), known as the auditory deviance response (ADR), are elicited in the absence of directed attention and indexes functionally relevant networks. The ADR consists of three peaks: mismatch negativity (MMN), P3a, and reorienting negativity (RON) that are sequentially evoked in response to unattended changes in repetitive background stimulation. While previous studies have established the ADR's sensitivity to a range of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions and are leading candidate biomarkers of perturbations of the central nervous system (CNS), here we sought to determine if ADR peaks are sensitive to decreases in breathable oxygen. Participants performed a visuomotor tracking task while EEG was recorded during two 27-min sessions. The two sessions differed in the amount of environmental oxygen available: 10.6% O 2 (hypoxia) versus 20.4% O 2 (normoxia). ERPs were measured while a series of identical, or "standard," tones combined with occasional "oddball," tones, were presented. MMN, P3a, and RON were assessed in response to the oddball compared to the standard stimuli. Behavioral impairment during hypoxia was demonstrated by a deficit in tracking performance compared to the normoxia condition. Whereas no changes were detected in the MMN or RON, the amplitude of the P3a component was significantly reduced during hypoxia compared to normoxia, within the first 9 min of exposure. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the effect of low oxygen exposure on passively elicited neural measures of early sensory processing. This study demonstrates that passively elicited EEG measures, reflecting preattentive auditory processing, are disrupted by acute hypoxia. Results have implications for the development of biomarkers for the noninvasive assessment of CNS perturbations.

show abstract

“…Review of extant literature indicates possible effects on a variety of cognitive abilities (Petrassi, Hodkinson, Walters, & Gaydos, 2012; Virues-Ortega et al, 2004), including motor learning and memory (Denison, Ledwith, & Poulton, 1966), decision-making (Frisby, Barrett, & Thornton, 1973), reaction time (Kida & Imai, 1993; McCarthy, Corban, Legg, & Faris, 1995), attention and working memory (Malle et al, 2013), and cognitive flexibility and executive functions (Asmaro, Mayall, & Ferguson, 2013). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanisms of Memory Dysfunction during High Altitude Hypoxia Training in Military Aircrew

Nation

Bondi

Gayles

et al. 2016

J Int Neuropsychol Soc

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objectives Cognitive dysfunction from high altitude exposure is a major cause of civilian and military air disasters. Pilot training improves recognition of the early symptoms of altitude exposure so that countermeasures may be taken before loss of consciousness. Little is known regarding the nature of cognitive impairments manifesting within this critical window when life-saving measures may still be taken. Prior studies evaluating cognition during high altitude simulation have predominantly focused on measures of reaction time and other basic attention or motor processes. Memory encoding, retention, and retrieval represent critical cognitive functions that may be vulnerable to acute hypoxic/ischemic events and could play a major role in survival of air emergencies, yet these processes have not been studied in the context of high altitude simulation training. Methods In a series of experiments, military aircrew underwent neuropsychological testing before, during, and after brief (15 min) exposure to high altitude simulation (20,000 ft) in a pressure-controlled chamber. Results Acute exposure to high altitude simulation caused rapid impairment in learning and memory with relative preservation of basic visual and auditory attention. Memory dysfunction was predominantly characterized by deficiencies in memory encoding, as memory for information learned during high altitude exposure did not improve after washout at sea level. Retrieval and retention of memories learned shortly before altitude exposure were also impaired, suggesting further impairment in memory retention. Conclusions Deficits in memory encoding and retention are rapidly induced upon exposure to high altitude, an effect that could impact life-saving situational awareness and response.

show abstract

Working Memory Impairment in Pilots Exposed to Acute Hypobaric Hypoxia

Abstract: WM is impaired by acute hypobaric hypoxia. Given the importance of WM in aircraft piloting and its sensitivity to hypoxia, the PASAT, in association with SpO2 and EEG recordings, could improve both hypoxia training and our understanding of the effects of hypoxia on memory.

Cited by 64 publications

References 12 publications

Isolating the independent effects of hypoxia and hyperventilation‐induced hypocapnia on cerebral haemodynamics and cognitive function

Isolating the independent effects of hypoxia and hyperventilation‐induced hypocapnia on cerebral haemodynamics and cognitive function

Impaired Sensory Processing During Low-Oxygen Exposure: A Noninvasive Approach to Detecting Changes in Cognitive States

Mechanisms of Memory Dysfunction during High Altitude Hypoxia Training in Military Aircrew

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About