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Perspectives on functional adaptation of the high altitude native
Progress in Clinical and Biological Research
|January 1, 1983
Summary
High altitude acclimatization involves functional changes like lung volume, not genetic traits. High-altitude natives show comparable aerobic power to sea-level natives due to hypoxic development.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Human Adaptation
- High-Altitude Environments
Background:
- Human acclimatization to high altitude is a complex physiological process.
- Understanding the factors influencing adaptation to hypoxic conditions is crucial for human health and performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the major physiological processes enabling complete human acclimatization to high altitude.
- To identify key differences and similarities in adaptation between high-altitude natives and low-altitude natives.
Main Methods:
- Review of available data on physiological traits related to high altitude acclimatization.
- Comparison of functional traits (e.g., lung volume, maximal aerobic power) between different populations and altitudes.
- Analysis of hemopoietic responses in high-altitude natives from various regions.
Main Results:
- Complete acclimatization is linked to modifiable traits (lung volume) but not fixed genetic traits (chest size).
- High-altitude natives exhibit maximal aerobic power comparable to sea-level natives, suggesting developmental adaptation to hypoxia.
- Inter-regional differences in hemoglobin concentration exist among high-altitude natives, particularly between mining and non-mining Andean populations and the Himalayas.
Conclusions:
- High altitude acclimatization involves adaptive physiological changes, particularly in functional traits.
- Developmental plasticity in response to chronic hypoxia plays a key role in high-altitude adaptation.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the specific developmental modifications in the oxygen transport system and the reasons for regional hematological variations.