TY - JOUR
T1 - Oculometric Feature Changes During Acute Hypoxia in a Simulated High-Altitude Airdrop Scenario
AU - Pradhan, Gaurav N.
AU - Ottestad, William
AU - Meland, Anders
AU - Kåsin, Jan Ivar
AU - h⊘iseth, Lars Øivind
AU - Cevette, Michael J.
AU - Stepanek, Jan
N1 - Funding Information:
We give special thanks to the Norwegian Special Operations Commando for facilitating the study and to the operators who participated. We are grateful for the support granted by the Norwegian Defence Medical Services, Institute of Aviation Medicine, Oslo, Norway. Financial Disclosure Statement: No conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the authors.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021. the Aerospace Medical Association, Alexandria, VA. All Rights Reserved.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - BACKGROUND: severe acute hypoxia results in a rapid deterioration of cognitive functioning and thus poses a risk for human operations in high altitude environments. this study aimed at investigating the effects of oxygen system failure during a highaltitude high-opening (hahO) parachute jump scenario from 30,000 ft (9144 m) on human physiology and cognitive performance using a noncontact eye-tracking task. methods: Nine healthy male volunteers (ages 27-48) were recruited from the Norwegian Special Operations Commandos. Eye-tracking data were collected to derive information on cognitive performance in the context of rapid dynamic changes in pressure altitude while performing a modified King-Devick test. the baseline data was collected at 8000 ft (2438 m) while breathing 100% oxygen during decompression. For every test, the corresponding arterial blood gas analysis was performed. results: the study subjects endured severe hypoxia, which resulted in significant prolongations of fixation time (range: 284.1-245.6 ms) until 23,397 ft (131 m) and fixation size (range: 34.6-32.4 mm) until 25,389 ft (7739 m) as compared to the baseline (217.6 ± 17.8 ms and 27.2 ± 4.5 mm, respectively). the increase in the saccadic movement and decrease in the saccadic velocity was observed until 28,998 ft and 27,360 ft (8839 and 8339 m), respectively. discussion: this is the first study to investigate cognitive performance from measured oculometric variables during severe hypobaric hypoxia in a simulated high-altitude airdrop mission scenario. the measurement of altered oculometric variables under hypoxic conditions represents a potential avenue to study altered cognitive performance using noncontact sensors that:canderiveinforma tion:andser vetoprovidetheindividual with a warning from impending incapacitation.
AB - BACKGROUND: severe acute hypoxia results in a rapid deterioration of cognitive functioning and thus poses a risk for human operations in high altitude environments. this study aimed at investigating the effects of oxygen system failure during a highaltitude high-opening (hahO) parachute jump scenario from 30,000 ft (9144 m) on human physiology and cognitive performance using a noncontact eye-tracking task. methods: Nine healthy male volunteers (ages 27-48) were recruited from the Norwegian Special Operations Commandos. Eye-tracking data were collected to derive information on cognitive performance in the context of rapid dynamic changes in pressure altitude while performing a modified King-Devick test. the baseline data was collected at 8000 ft (2438 m) while breathing 100% oxygen during decompression. For every test, the corresponding arterial blood gas analysis was performed. results: the study subjects endured severe hypoxia, which resulted in significant prolongations of fixation time (range: 284.1-245.6 ms) until 23,397 ft (131 m) and fixation size (range: 34.6-32.4 mm) until 25,389 ft (7739 m) as compared to the baseline (217.6 ± 17.8 ms and 27.2 ± 4.5 mm, respectively). the increase in the saccadic movement and decrease in the saccadic velocity was observed until 28,998 ft and 27,360 ft (8839 and 8339 m), respectively. discussion: this is the first study to investigate cognitive performance from measured oculometric variables during severe hypobaric hypoxia in a simulated high-altitude airdrop mission scenario. the measurement of altered oculometric variables under hypoxic conditions represents a potential avenue to study altered cognitive performance using noncontact sensors that:canderiveinforma tion:andser vetoprovidetheindividual with a warning from impending incapacitation.
KW - acute hypoxia
KW - cognitive performance
KW - high-altitude high opening
KW - oculometric
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U2 - 10.3357/AMHP.5930.2021
DO - 10.3357/AMHP.5930.2021
M3 - Article
C2 - 34986930
AN - SCOPUS:85123229901
VL - 92
SP - 928
EP - 936
JO - The Journal of aviation medicine
JF - The Journal of aviation medicine
SN - 2375-6314
IS - 12
ER -