scholarly journals A Prospective Evaluation of the Acute Effects of High Altitude on Cognitive and Physiological Functions in Lowlanders

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marika Falla ◽  
Costanza Papagno ◽  
Tomas Dal Cappello ◽  
Anna Vögele ◽  
Katharina Hüfner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Physiological Parameters ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Peripheral Oxygen Saturation ◽  
Quick Recovery ◽  
Psychomotor Vigilance

Cognitive function impairment due to high altitude exposure has been reported with some contradictory results regarding the possible selective cognitive domain involvement. We prospectively evaluated in 36 lowlanders, exposed for 3 consecutive days to an altitude of 3,269 m, specific cognitive abilities (attention, processing speed, and decision-making) required to safely explore the mountains, as well as to work at altitude. We simultaneously monitored the physiological parameters. Our study provides evidence of a reduced processing speed in lowlanders when exposed to altitude in the first 24 h. There was a fairly quick recovery since this impairment was no more detectable after 36 h of exposure. There were no clinically relevant effects on decision-making, while psychomotor vigilance was unaffected at altitude except for individuals with poor sleep. Significant changes were seen in physiological parameters (increased heart rate and reduced peripheral oxygen saturation). Our results may have practical implications, suggesting that individuals should practice prudence with higher ascent when performing risky activities in the first 24–36 h, even at altitudes below 3,500 m, due to an impairment of the cognitive performance that could worsen and lead to accidents.

scholarly journals The protective effect of daytime sleep on planning and risk-related decision-making in emerging adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 1228-1237
Author(s):  
Wong Mark Lawrence ◽  
Lau Esther Yuet Ying ◽  
Lam Yeuk Ching ◽  
Rusak Benjamin ◽  
Tseng Chia-huei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Sleep Spindles ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Tower Of London ◽  
Daytime Sleep ◽  
Planning Ability ◽  
Psychomotor Vigilance ◽  
Task Response Time

Abstract We assessed the effect of a daytime sleep opportunity on planning and risk-related decision-making in emerging adults using multiple neurobehavioral assessments. A total of 136 healthy emerging adults (20.0 ± 1.5 years), 65% female, performed the Risky-Gains Task and the Tower of London test twice. Between these assessments, they were randomized to either have a sleep opportunity monitored by polysomnography (Sleep group, n = 101) or to stay awake (Wake group, n = 35). During Test 2, in comparison to the Sleep group, the Wake group showed increased sleepiness, worse planning ability and more decrease in reaction times when selecting risky choices. Changes in Tower of London test steps used and Risky-Gains Task response time correlated with the number of central and frontal fast sleep spindles, respectively. These results indicate that among emerging adults who commonly have poor sleep patterns, a daytime sleep opportunity was related to better planning ability, better psychomotor vigilance and stable response speeds in risk-related decision-making. Changes in planning and risk-related decision-making correlated with the number of sleep spindles during the nap, supporting a specific role for sleep in modulating planning and potentially other higher-order cognitive functions.

scholarly journals Better Night’s Sleep and Subjective Cognition: The Role of Day and Night Work Shifts

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 425-425
Author(s):  
Britney Veal ◽  
Christina Mu ◽  
Soomi Lee
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Night Shift ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Previous Night ◽  
Mental Focus ◽  
Ecological Momentary

Abstract Previous research indicates poor sleep and cognitive functioning are associated. Studies have yet to consider the role of work shift on this relationship. The current study examined the sleep and subjective cognition relationship in nurses, and if this relationship differed for day- and night- shift nurses. Sixty-one nurses (M=35.39, SD=11.73; 39 day-, 22 night-shift) reported their nightly sleep characteristics and next-day subjective cognition (i.e., processing speed, memory, and mental focus) using ecological momentary assessments for 2 weeks. Multilevel models controlled for sociodemographic characteristics and decomposed the variance attributed by between- and within-person levels. At the within-person level, better sleep the previous night was associated with better subjective cognition the following day. This relationship was more apparent in night-shift nurses than in day-shift nurses, such that (a) longer sleep duration predicted better mental focus (B=1.62, p<.05) and (b) higher sleep quality predicted better memory (B=8.67, p<.001). At the between-person level, better sleep overall was associated with better subjective cognition across days. This association was more apparent in day-shift nurses than in night-shift nurses, such that (a) better sleep quality and sufficiency predicted faster processing speed (B=34.33; B=26.28; p<.001) and (b) better sleep quality and greater sleep sufficiency predicted better memory (B=30.94; B=23.09; p<.001). Findings suggest that sleep characteristics are associated with subjective cognition in nurses day-to-day and on average. Specific sleep characteristics associated with subjective cognition differ between day- and night-shift nurses, presumably due to differences in their sleep issues and perceived cognitive abilities.

scholarly journals The Use of Pulse Oximetry in the Assessment of Acclimatization to High Altitude

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1263
Author(s):  
Tobias Dünnwald ◽  
Roland Kienast ◽  
David Niederseer ◽  
Martin Burtscher
Keyword(s):  
Pulse Oximetry ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Acute Mountain Sickness ◽  
Measurement Methods ◽  
Peripheral Oxygen Saturation ◽  
Hypoxia Exposure ◽  
Lower Spo2 ◽  
Time Courses ◽  
Finger Pulse ◽  
Pulse Oximeters

Background: Finger pulse oximeters are widely used to monitor physiological responses to high-altitude exposure, the progress of acclimatization, and/or the potential development of high-altitude related diseases. Although there is increasing evidence for its invaluable support at high altitude, some controversy remains, largely due to differences in individual preconditions, evaluation purposes, measurement methods, the use of different devices, and the lacking ability to interpret data correctly. Therefore, this review is aimed at providing information on the functioning of pulse oximeters, appropriate measurement methods and published time courses of pulse oximetry data (peripheral oxygen saturation, (SpO2) and heart rate (HR), recorded at rest and submaximal exercise during exposure to various altitudes. Results: The presented findings from the literature review confirm rather large variations of pulse oximetry measures (SpO2 and HR) during acute exposure and acclimatization to high altitude, related to the varying conditions between studies mentioned above. It turned out that particularly SpO2 levels decrease with acute altitude/hypoxia exposure and partly recover during acclimatization, with an opposite trend of HR. Moreover, the development of acute mountain sickness (AMS) was consistently associated with lower SpO2 values compared to individuals free from AMS. Conclusions: The use of finger pulse oximetry at high altitude is considered as a valuable tool in the evaluation of individual acclimatization to high altitude but also to monitor AMS progression and treatment efficacy.

South Korea in 2016

Asian Survey ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-110
Author(s):  
Gi-Wook Shin ◽  
Rennie J. Moon
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
South Korea ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Nuclear Weapons ◽  
North Korea ◽  
Heavy Industry ◽  
Financial Difficulties ◽  
Official Position ◽  
Leadership Crisis ◽  
High Altitude Area

President Park faced a leadership crisis after revelations that she relied on a confidant with no official position for key decision-making in state affairs. Heavy industry met with serious financial difficulties, and a strong anti-corruption law was enacted. North Korea tested more nuclear weapons and missiles. Controversy over the deployment of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense strained South Korea’s relations with China.

293 Predictive utility of a brief scale to identify U.S. Army Soldiers who are genetically vulnerable and resilient to sleep loss

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A117-A117
Author(s):  
Janna Mantua ◽  
Carolyn Mickelson ◽  
Jacob Naylor ◽  
Bradley Ritland ◽  
Alexxa Bessey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Reaction Time ◽  
Sleep Deprivation ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Response Inhibition ◽  
Sleep Loss ◽  
Cutoff Score ◽  
Cognitive Subscale ◽  
Army Soldiers ◽  
Psychomotor Vigilance

Abstract Introduction Sleep loss that is inherent to military operations can lead to cognitive errors and potential mission failure. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) allele variations of several genes (COMT, ADORA2A, TNFa, CLOCK, DAT1) have been linked with inter-individual cognitive resilience to sleep loss through various mechanisms. U.S. Army Soldiers with resilience-related alleles may be better-suited to perform cognitively-arduous duties under conditions of sleep loss than those without these alleles. However, military-wide genetic screening is costly, arduous, and infeasible. This study tested whether a brief survey of subjective resilience to sleep loss (1) can demarcate soldiers with and without resilience-related alleles, and, if so, (2) can predict cognitive performance under conditions of sleep loss. Methods Six SNPs from the aforementioned genes were sequenced from 75 male U.S. Army special operations Soldiers (age 25.7±4.1). Psychomotor vigilance, response inhibition, and decision-making were tested after a night of mission-driven total sleep deprivation. The Iowa Resilience to Sleeplessness Test (iREST) Cognitive Subscale, which measures subjective cognitive resilience to sleep loss, was administered after a week of recovery sleep. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine whether the iREST Cognitive Subscale can discriminate between gene carriers, and a cutoff score was determined. Cognitive performance after sleep deprivation was compared between those below/above the cutoff score using t-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests. Results The iREST discriminated between allele variations for COMT (ROC=.65,SE=.07,p=.03), with an optimal cutoff score of 3.03 out of 5, with 90% sensitivity and 51.4% specificity. Soldiers below the cutoff score had significantly poorer for psychomotor vigilance reaction time (t=-2.39,p=.02), response inhibition errors of commission (U=155.00,W=246.00,p=.04), and decision-making reaction time (t=2.13,p=.04) than Soldiers above the cutoff score. Conclusion The iREST Cognitive Subscale can discriminate between those with and without specific vulnerability/resilience-related genotypes. If these findings are replicated, the iREST Cognitive Subscale could be used to help military leaders make decisions about proper personnel placement when sleep loss is unavoidable. This would likely result in increased safety and improved performance during military missions. Support (if any) Support for this study came from the Military Operational Medicine Research Program of the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command.

Effects of urban noise variability on cognitive abilities in indoor spaces: Gender differences

2021 ◽  
pp. 095745652110307
Author(s):  
Massimiliano Masullo ◽  
Gennaro Ruggiero ◽  
Daniel Alvarez Fernandez ◽  
Tina Iachini ◽  
Luigi Maffei
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Urban Noise ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Open Window ◽  
Indoor Spaces

Previous evidence has shown that exposure to urban noise negatively influences some cognitive abilities (i.e. verbal fluency and delayed recall of prose memory) of people in indoor spaces. However, long-standing literature in the cognitive domain has reported that men and women can show different performance on cognitive tasks. Here, we aimed to investigate if and how different patterns of perceived urban noises in indoor environments could affect male and female participants’ cognitive abilities. Ambisonic sound recordings representing scenarios with varying noise patterns (low, medium and high variability) were acquired with an open window at three dwellings in a southern Italian city. As a control condition, the recordings were caught inside a quiet room. While exposed to theses four auditory conditions, participants had to perform cognitive tasks assessing free verbal memory recall, auditory–verbal recognition and working memory. The results show that male and female participants have a different tolerance to noise patterns. Women overperform men on verbal tasks, while the contrary effect emerges with men outperforming women on visuospatial working memory tasks.

scholarly journals Cooperation and the evolution of intelligence

2012 ◽  
Vol 279 (1740) ◽  
pp. 3027-3034 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke McNally ◽  
Sam P. Brown ◽  
Andrew L. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Artificial Neural Network Model ◽  
Social Intelligence ◽  
Arms Race ◽  
Selection Pressures ◽  
Social Intelligence Hypothesis ◽  
The Social ◽  
Selection For

The high levels of intelligence seen in humans, other primates, certain cetaceans and birds remain a major puzzle for evolutionary biologists, anthropologists and psychologists. It has long been held that social interactions provide the selection pressures necessary for the evolution of advanced cognitive abilities (the ‘social intelligence hypothesis’), and in recent years decision-making in the context of cooperative social interactions has been conjectured to be of particular importance. Here we use an artificial neural network model to show that selection for efficient decision-making in cooperative dilemmas can give rise to selection pressures for greater cognitive abilities, and that intelligent strategies can themselves select for greater intelligence, leading to a Machiavellian arms race. Our results provide mechanistic support for the social intelligence hypothesis, highlight the potential importance of cooperative behaviour in the evolution of intelligence and may help us to explain the distribution of cooperation with intelligence across taxa.

scholarly journals Longitudinal Associations Between Loneliness and Cognitive Ability in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (8) ◽  
pp. 1376-1386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith A Okely ◽  
Ian J Deary
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Birth Cohort ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Birth Cohort Study ◽  
Visuospatial Ability ◽  
Lothian Birth Cohort ◽  
Longitudinal Associations ◽  
Reciprocal Associations

Abstract Objectives Loneliness is associated with poorer cognitive function in old age; however, the direction of this association is unknown. We tested for reciprocal associations between loneliness and the cognitive ability domains of processing speed, visuospatial ability, verbal memory, and crystallized ability. Method We used three triennial waves of longitudinal data from the Lothian Birth Cohort Study 1936, and tested for cross-lagged associations between loneliness and cognitive abilities using cross-lagged panel models. Results Better processing speed, visuospatial ability, or crystallized ability at age 73, was associated with less positive changes in loneliness between ages 73 and 76; however, these associations were not replicated between ages 76 and 79. Loneliness at ages 73 and 76 did not predict subsequent changes in cognitive abilities. Discussion Our findings indicate an association between cognitive ability and loneliness, such that individuals with lower cognitive abilities at age 73 may be at a slightly higher risk of becoming lonely. However, we did not find support for the hypothesis that loneliness causes a decline in cognitive health.

Reduced information processing speed as primum movens for cognitive decline in MS

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeroen Van Schependom ◽  
Marie B D’hooghe ◽  
Krista Cleynhens ◽  
Mieke D’hooge ◽  
Marie-Claire Haelewyck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Information Processing ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Information Processing Speed ◽  
Survival Curves ◽  
Cross Sectional

Background: Cognitive impairment affects half of the multiple sclerosis (MS) patient population and is an important contributor to patients’ daily activities. Most cognitive impairment studies in MS are, however, cross-sectional or/and focused on the early disease stages. Objective: We aim to assess the time course of decline of different cognitive domains. Methods: We collected neuropsychological data on 514 MS patients to construct Kaplan-Meier survival curves of the tests included in the Neuropsychological Screening Battery for MS (NSBMS) and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Cox-proportional hazard models were constructed to examine the influence of MS onset type, age at onset, gender, depression and level of education on the time course, expressed as age or disease. Results: Survival curves of tests focusing on information processing speed (IPS) declined significantly faster than tests with less specific demands of IPS. Median age for pathological decline was 56.2 years (95% CI: 54.4–58.2) on the SDMT and 63.9 years (95% CI: 60–66.9) on the CLTR, a memory task. Conclusion: In conclusion, IPS is the cognitive domain not only most widely affected by MS but it is also the first cognitive deficit to emerge in MS.

scholarly journals Changing our thinking about changing their thinking in older adulthood

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1405-1407
Author(s):  
Viviana M. Wuthrich
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Cognitive Deficits ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
New Learning

It is well-established that as people age, deterioration in cognitive abilities including processing speed, memory, and cognitive flexibility occurs, although vast individual differences occur in the rate and consequences of this decline (Christensen, 2001). Anxiety and depression in late life are also associated with specific cognitive deficits in memory and executive functioning that may impact on new learning (Yochim et al., 2013). Therefore, it is possible that cognitive changes make it more difficult for older adults to learn how to change their thinking particularly in the context of psychological therapy.

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