Psychomotor skills learning under chronic hypoxia

PSYCHOMOTOR deficits are a prominent feature in subjects exposed to hypoxia . Eight subjects exposed to chronic hypoxia during a simulated climb to 884 8 m (Everest-Comex 97) were investigated using both a simple psychomotor ta sk (Purdue pegboard) and two complex psychomotor tasks including a recognit ion task of-either a color stimulus (high semantic level) or an abstract si gn (low semantic level). Exposure to hypoxic stress: mainly produced psycho motor skills learning deficits: compared to control study, with greater def icits in the complex psychomotor task. The pattern of results suggests disr uptions of motor strategic process. Our data further suggest that the relat ive strength of implicit-or automatic memory processes associated with Sema ntic information processing may increase when disturbances occur in brain f unctions. (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.