Is decision making in hypoxia affected by pre-acclimatisation? A randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Altitude Physiology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Human Performance

Background:

• Hypoxic environments, such as high altitudes, impair decision-making abilities.
• This impairment poses significant risks, especially for activities like mountaineering.
• Acclimatisation is a potential strategy to mitigate these adverse effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of short-term pre-acclimatisation on decision-making under hypoxia.
• To determine if pre-acclimatisation can reduce risky decisions in simulated high-altitude conditions.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled study involving 52 healthy participants.
• Participants were assigned to either a hypoxia group (short-term pre-acclimatisation) or a control group (sham pre-acclimatisation).
• Decision-making was assessed using the Game of Dice Task during a 12-hour exposure to hypoxia (FiO2=12.6%).

Main Results:

• 42 participants completed the study.
• The hypoxia group showed a significant reduction in risky decisions compared to the control group (p=0.048).
• Positive affective valence was negatively correlated with risky decision-making.

Conclusions:

• Short-term pre-acclimatisation may positively influence decision-making in hypoxia.
• This pre-acclimatisation strategy could serve as a risk-reduction method for high-altitude exposure.
• Positive emotional states appear to offer a protective effect against risky decisions.