Effects of Mild Hypobaric Hypoxia on Sleep and Post-sleep Performance

Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences34 enrolled

Overview

Hypobaric hypoxia (decreased oxygen supply to body tissues due to low atmospheric pressure) caused by exposure to high altitude disrupts sleep. Sleep deprivation is associated with degraded post-sleep performance of neurobehavioral tasks. The lowest altitude at which sleep and/or post-sleep performance are affected is not known. The study hypothesis is that sleep and/or post-sleep performance of neurobehavioral tasks will occur due to hypobaric hypoxia at altitudes of 8,000 or less.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Altitude Hypoxia Environmental Sleep Disorder

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 30 YearsMax age: 60 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * healthy * age 30 to 60 years Exclusion Criteria: * sleep disorders or abnormal sleep patterns * mood or psychiatric disorders including claustrophobia * altitude exposure above 5,000 ft in the previous 2 months * born or raised at terrestrial altitude 5,000 ft or greater * conditions that would disqualify for FAA Medical Certificate * acute medical conditions

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Quality and quantity of sleep measured by actigraphy and polysomnography Neurobehavioral performance measured by Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) and Automated Neurophysiologic Assessment Metrics Battery (ANAM)

Time frame: 7 hours; 4 hours

Secondary Outcomes

Mood State measured by Profile of Mood States (POMS) Symptoms of altitude illness measured by Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire (ESQ IV) and Lake Louise Symptom Scores (LLS)

Time frame: 20 hours