Neurophysiological evidence for cognitive and brain functional adaptation in adolescents living at high altitude : Sussex Research Online

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Richardson, Cassandra, Hogan, Alexandra M, Bucks, Romola S, Baya, Ana, Virues-Ortega, Javier, Holloway, John W, Rose-Zerilli, Matthew, Palmer, Lyle J, Webster, Rebecca J, Kirkham, Fenella J and Baldeweg, Torsten (2011) Neurophysiological evidence for cognitive and brain functional adaptation in adolescents living at high altitude. Clinical Neurophysiology, 122 (9). pp. 1726-1734. ISSN 1388-2457

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2011.02.001

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

Neurophysiological methods were used to study the effects of high altitude living on brain functions in a subgroup of participants of the Bolivian Children Living at Altitude (BoCLA) project.

METHODS

Electroencephalogram (EEG), event-related potentials (ERP) and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) were recorded in two groups of adolescents (aged 13-16 years), living either at sea-level or high altitude (~3700m).

RESULTS

Neuropsychological testing revealed no deficits in the high altitude group, despite significantly reduced blood oxygen saturation. In agreement, ERPs elicited by oddball target detection and choice reaction time tasks were not different between groups. In contrast, resting state EEG showed reductions in delta and beta frequency amplitudes in adolescents living at high altitude. The EEG attenuations were correlated with lower CBFV, and the EEG group differences diminished during task performance.

CONCLUSIONS

No indication was found for negative sequelae of chronic hypoxia in adolescents born and living at an altitude of ~3700m, rather evidence for successful neurophysiological adaptation was found under such conditions.

SIGNIFICANCE

Dynamic regulation of metabolic demand is one adaptive mechanism that preserves cognitive development at high altitude.

Item Type:	Article
Schools and Departments:	Brighton and Sussex Medical School > Clinical and Experimental Medicine
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology > BF0712 Developmental psychology Including infant psychology, child psychology, adolescence, adulthood Q Science > QP Physiology > QP0351 Neurophysiology and neuropsychology
Depositing User:	Cassandra Richardson
Date Deposited:	15 Mar 2013 11:34
Last Modified:	08 Mar 2017 07:05
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/44048

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