The Physiological Effects of Acute and Ramp Simulated Altitude Exposure During Simulated Flight Tasks

• The purpose of this study is to investigate which physiological process that controls normal human body homeostasis is affected by low levels of acute hypoxic exposure and whether there is a difference in those physiological processes and simulated flight performance between a rapid and ramp hypoxic exposure. To accomplish this, pilot analogs will be exposed to normoxic, simulated 8,000 ft (2438 m), simulated 12,000 ft (3658 m), and a ramp exposure breathing at simulated 8,000 ft for 5 minutes before ascending to simulated 12,000 ft while flying in a flight simulator. During the flight simulator, participants will need to accomplish three tasks: 1) Maintaining an altitude of 5,000 ft of elevation while performing a mental math test, 2) Flying the aircraft through the center of a series of 7 targets, and 3) Taking off and flying the aircraft a short distance to land on the center of an indicated target. Physiological measures of heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure (BP), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), electrodermal activity (EDA), and neck neuromuscular activity using electromyography (EMG) will be measured for this study. Along with questionnaires to assess hypoxic symptoms, simulator sickness, and self-perceived workload for each task

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Altitude Hypoxia Altitude Sickness Respiration Disorders Respiratory Tract Diseases

Age range

18 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, Texas, 79902, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Meets body composition standards for the US Navy Active-duty personnel based on height and weight
Normal vision/corrected to normal vision

Exclusion criteria

Respiratory Deficiencies
Cardiovascular Disorders
Neurological/Musculoskeletal Disorders
Photosensitive Epilepsy

Treatment and study plan

Hypoxic breathing conditions

Other

Participants will undergo three separate hypoxic conditions, along with a normoxic condition, simulating 8,000 foot elevation, 12,0000 foot elevation, and a ramp condition starting at 8,000 feet and then ascending to 12,000 feet.

Primary outcomes

Flight performance

Time frame: 10 minutes per each of the 4 conditions

ability to perform in-flight assigned tasks
Self-perceived workload

Time frame: 1 minute to complete the survey, 3 times per condition for 4 conditions

NASA TLX survey
Electrodermal activity

Time frame: 10 minutes per each of the 4 conditions

electrical characteristics of the skin observed as changes in the resistance of the skin to a small electrical current

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Texas, El Paso

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2023
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: May 22, 2023
Registry last updated: May 4, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed