Effect of High Altitude
Conditions
Keywords
High Altitude, Attention, Cognitive Function, Acclimatization, Sleep
Brief summary
Prospective interventional trial in lowlanders evaluating the effect of acute exposure, acclimatization and re-exposure to high altitude on global cognitive function.
Detailed description
Baseline measurements will be performed in Santiago de Chile, 520 m, over the course of 3 days. Participants will then travel by commercial airline (2 h flight) and by bus (2 h ride) to the ALMA base camp located at 2900 m near San Pedro de Atacama, northern Chile. Participants will stay there for the next 7 nights and they will be spend the days (6 total; 6-8 h daily) at the telescope station at 5050 m while undergoing testing as described above at the first and the last day at 5050m. Daily transports from 2900 to 5050 m will be by car (1 h ride, one way). After the first 7 day altitude sojourn participants will return to the Santiago area (520 m) for a 7 day recovery period. A second altitude sojourn with an identical schedule as the one described above and a final low altitude stay of 3 days will follow.
Interventions
OTHERAltitude exposure
Acute high altitude exposure followed by 8 day acclimatization and re-exposure for 8 days after 6 days at low altitude
Sponsors
University of Zurich
Marc Poulin
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* born, raised and currently living \<1300m * No overnight stays at altitudes \>1500m 4 weeks before the study
Exclusion criteria
* previous altitude intolerance \<3000m * pregnancy * health impairment, which requires regular treatment
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in global cognitive function assessed by neuropsychological test battery | Low altitude sojourn at 520m (Baseline); first sojourn at 5050m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050m Day 2, 7 (each sojourn cycle = 7 days) | Change in global cognition measured across two cycles of altitude exposure, comparing 5050m to 520m |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in cognitive subdomains (visual memory, executive function, working memory and planning, attention, semantic/verbal memory, decision-making and response control) assessed by neuropsychological test battery | Low altitude sojourn at 520m (Baseline); first sojourn at 5050m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050m Day 2, 7 (each sojourn cycle = 7 days) | Change in cognitive subdomains (visual memory, executive function, working memory and planning, attention, semantic/verbal memory, decision-making and response control) measured across two cycles of altitude exposure, comparing 5050m to 520m |
| Change in oxidative stress measured by venous blood sampling | Low altitude sojourn at 520m (Baseline); first sojourn at 5050m Day 2, 7; second sojourn at 5050m Day 2, 7 (each sojourn cycle = 7 days) | Change in oxidative stress measured before and after high altitude exposure |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed