Mechanism, prevention and treatment of cognitive impairment caused by high altitude exposure

Xin Chen; Jiexin Zhang; Yuan Lin; Yan Li; Han Wang; Zhanhao Wang; Huawei Liu; Yonghe Hu; Lei Liu

doi:10.3389/fphys.2023.1191058

Mechanism, prevention and treatment of cognitive impairment caused by high altitude exposure

Front Physiol. 2023 Sep 4:14:1191058. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1191058. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Xin Chen^#¹, Jiexin Zhang^#^{1

2}, Yuan Lin^#³, Yan Li⁴, Han Wang⁵, Zhanhao Wang¹, Huawei Liu¹, Yonghe Hu⁶, Lei Liu⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
² Faculty of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
³ Sichuan Xincheng Biological Co., LTD., Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁴ Department of General Surgery, The 77th Army Hospital, Leshan, Sichuan, China.
⁵ Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁶ Faculty of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁷ Medical Research Center, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Hypobaric hypoxia (HH) characteristics induce impaired cognitive function, reduced concentration, and memory. In recent years, an increasing number of people have migrated to high-altitude areas for work and study. Headache, sleep disturbance, and cognitive impairment from HH, severely challenges the physical and mental health and affects their quality of life and work efficiency. This review summarizes the manifestations, mechanisms, and preventive and therapeutic methods of HH environment affecting cognitive function and provides theoretical references for exploring and treating high altitude-induced cognitive impairment.

Keywords: cognitive function; hypobaric hypoxia; mechanism; prevention; therapy.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This paper is supported by a special research project (2682022ZTPY041) funded by the Basic Research Funds of Central Universities of Southwest Jiaotong University.