Effect of acute hypoxia on cognition: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis. (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McMorris, Terry; Hale, Beverley J.; Barwood, Martin; Costello, Joseph; Corbett, Jo
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 74:Part A(2017)
• Page Start: 225
• Page End: 232
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: Arterial partial pressure of oxygen -- Normobaric -- Hypobaric -- Central executive -- Perception -- Short-term memory -- Regional cerebral blood flow -- Catecholamines -- Glossypharyngeal nerve -- Carotid body -- Internal carotid arteries -- Vertebral arteries; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.019
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Highlights: Hypoxia has a negative effect on cognition. Effect on central executive and non-executive tasks did not differ significantly. Low (<60 mmHg) arterial partial pressure of oxygen predicts poor cognition. Hypobaric versus normobaric hypoxic conditions was not a significant moderator. Abstract: A systematic meta-regression analysis of the effects of acute hypoxia on the performance of central executive and non-executive tasks, and the effects of the moderating variables, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2 ) and hypobaric versus normobaric hypoxia, was undertaken. Studies were included if they were performed on healthy humans; within-subject design was used; data were reported giving the PaO2 or that allowed the PaO2 to be estimated (e.g. arterial oxygen saturation and/or altitude); and the duration of being in a hypoxic state prior to cognitive testing was ≤6 days. Twenty-two experiments met the criteria for inclusion and demonstrated a moderate, negative mean effect size (g = −0.49, 95% CI −0.64 to −0.34, p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between central executive and non-executive, perception/attention and short-term memory, tasks. Low (35–60 mmHg) PaO2 was the key predictor of cognitive performance (R 2 = 0.45, p < 0.001) and this was independent of whether the exposure was in hypobaric hypoxic or normobaric hypoxic conditions.