The Effect Of The Altitude Acclimatization On Incidence Of Acute Mountain Sickness, Mental State And Cognitive Function Of The Soldiers Ascending Quickly To The High-altitude

OBJECTIVE: To provide safeguard in medical service for sending quick-response operating units stationed in lower altitude to high-altitude in case of emergency;provide data for the development of western area, mountaineering and tourism in China.METHODS: The 226 soldiers (mean age 20.84±2.03 years ) who entering in the high-altitude were selected into the study group randomly. The step-by-step acclimatization was introducted into the study. Choose the Habitat of altitude of 1000m (before departure and after return), 2800m, 3800m, 4500m as the measuring points.The psychologic status, cognitive function, incidence of Acute Mountain Sickness and effect of altitude acclimatization were assessed according to different altitude with the Self- rating Anxiety Scale, Survey-Depression Scale, Lake Louise Score, Trail Making Test, Purdue Pegboard Test and Rey Auditory Verbal learning Test.RESULTS:(1) The significant differences in the positive rate of Lake Louise symptom Score of acute mountain sickness existed among different test points(x~2=11.184, p<0.01), and there was a significant positive correlation between the positive rate and the altitude(γ= 1.000,p<0.01).(2)Other height, as compared with 1000m, had significantly higher for the mean of total scores of anxiety(p<0.05) respectively, and 4500m higher than 3800m for that of depression(p<0.05).The mean of total scores of depression and anxiety were significantly higher than domestic norm and get worse following altitude(p<0.05).There had a short term increase after return.(3)Other height, as compared with 1000m, had significantly higher for the mean of score in Purdue Pegboard Test with left hand(p<0.05) respectively, and3800m higher than 1000m(after return)(;?<0.05);as well as 3800m, 4500m higher than 1000m with right hand respectively(p<0.05).(4)Significant differences in the mean Score of Trail Making Test A existed among different test points(p<0.01), as well as 3800m significantly higher than other height for that of Trail Making Test B respectively(p<0.01).(5) 1000m, as compared with other height, had significantly better results for the mean of score in succession A, B, and recollection A of Rey Auditory Verbal learning Test (pO.Ol), as well as 4500m higher than 3800m for that of succession A(p<0.05), 4500m higher than other height for succession B respectively(p<0.05), and 1000m(after return) higher than 3800m, 4500m for that of recollection A respectively(p<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: (1) The results show that there have a specified change with psychologic status of soldiers in the high-altitude training,anxiety, depression and increased psychological stress are the major appearance.lt has beneficial effects in reducing the psychological stress by mental intervention and mental instruction.(2) These data support the notion that the cognitive function including faculty of memory, attention, delicate motion and performance ability degrade when persons entering in the high-altitude.Furthermore, the impairment in attention, short term memory and acoustic memory still existence after return for a long time.