The Study on Effects of Acute Exposure to High Altitude Hypoxia on Cognitive Function in Lowlanders

To assess cognitive function, we used CNS Vital Signs Neurocognitive test. The core CNS Vital Signs "BRIEF-CORE" neurocognitive assessment battery consists of seven subtests: Verbal Memory (VBM), Visual Memory (VIM), Finger Tapping (FTT), Symbol Digit Coding (SDC), Stroop Test (ST), Rat Attention Test (SAT) and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). Based on the above 7 test results, the quantitative evaluation results of 11 cognitive functions, including complex memory, graphic memory, vocabulary memory, psychomotor speed, motor speed, processing speed, reaction time, cognitive flexibility, executive function, complex attention and simple attention, were generated.

By comparing the cognitive function at different stages before and after entering the plateau, we will find out the impaired cognitive function.

For the above 12 cognitive functions, the values in plain and plateau were counted respectively, and then make a line chart to observe the change trend of different cognitive function.

To collect the EEG data, we used the ZhenTec's 32-conductivity EEG monitoring device. 32 electrodes ( Fp1、Fp2、F3、F4、Fz、FT7、FT8、FC3、FC4、FCz、Cz、TP7、TP8、CP3、CP4、Pz、Oz、C3、C4、P3、P4、O1、O2、 F7、F8、T3、T4、T5、T6) were placed according to the international 10/20 system electrode placement method, and EEG data of the subjects were collected in the quiet state for 20 min. By analyzing the collected EEG data, we can calculate the relative power values of five different EEG band (δ wave, θ wave, α wave, β wave and γ wave) under different leads.

By comparing the relative power values at different stages before and after entering the plateau, we tried to look for significantly altered EEG signatures, to find its association with the impaired cognitive function.