Medical and phisyological sciences

Studies on the exposure of healthy subjects to acute and chronic high altitude hypoxia provide unique opportunities for examining the effects of a limited availability of oxygen on various physical functions (e.g. modified reaction times, memory efficiency, structural and functional modifications of the cardiovascular system, etc.).  Such research can provide valuable indications on the effects of high altitude on our organism when we stay in the mountains for professional or recreational reasons, but, perhaps more importantly, results can be applied to understanding and treatment of common pathologies, such as fetal and neonatal hypoxia, reduced blood flow to the brain, cardiac or respiratory dysfunctions, or sleep disorders. Cardio-respiratory pathologies are in fact an increasingly common problem, affecting around 0.3% of the world’s population.

Conventionally, altitudes above sea level between 1,500 m (4,921 ft.) and 2,500-3,000 m (8,202-9,843 ft.) are considered “moderate�.  “High� altitude is generally that between 2,500-3,000 m (8,202-9,843 ft.) and 5,500 m (18,0445 ft.), while altitudes above 5,500 m (18,0445 ft.) are considered “extreme�. Human activity at extreme altitudes is mostly limited to survival and the organism of people which remain there actually begins to deteriorate.

When acclimatization to hypoxia is incomplete, the well-known pathology called “Acute Mountain Sickness� (AMS) can manifest. There are different forms of AMS: “light�, characterized by non-specific symptoms (headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea), which can be treated with rest and analgesics. Serious cases of AMS usually imply the development of HACE - high altitude cerebral edema or HAPE - pulmonary edema.

At the Pyramid International Laboratory-Observatory, located at 5,050 m (16,568 ft.), it is possible to study the same subjects in varying states of hypoxia and at different levels of exposure (acute vs. chronic) and acclimatization. Arterial oxygen pressure at these altitudes, <60 mm Hg, is in fact below the level of respiratory insufficiency. The location of the laboratory in a valley with villages at varying altitudes also makes it possible to study the local populations.

Ev-K²-CNR medical and physiological research focuses on the following topics:

• Respiratory health in subjects living at and visiting high altitude
• Effects of slowed breathing on oxygen saturation and respiratory functions during progressive exposure to high altitudes
• Genetic adaptation to high altitudes
• Bioenergetics of high altitude exercise: management of resources in extreme conditions
• Prevention of pulmonary edema at high altitudes
• Effect of Yoga breathing in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease