An anxiety, personality and altitude symptomatology study during a 31-day period of hypoxia in a hypobaric chamber (experiment 'Everest-Comex 1997')

Extreme environmental situations are useful tools for the investigation of the general processes of adaptation. Among such situations, high altitude o f more than 3000 m produces a set of pathological disorders that includes b oth cerebral (cAS) and respiratory (RAS) altitude symptoms. High altitude e xposure further induces anxiety responses and behavioural disturbances. The authors report an investigation on anxiety responses, personality traits, and altitude symptoms (AS) in climbers participating in a 31-day period of confinement and gradual decompression in a hypobaric chamber equivalent to a climb from sea-level to Mount Everest (8848 m altitude). Personality trai ts, state-trait anxiety, and AS were assessed, using the Cattell 16 Persona lity Factor questionnaire (16PF) the Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inve ntory (STAI), and the Lake Louise concensus questionnaire. Results show sig nificant group effect for state-anxiety and AS; state-anxiety and AS increa sed as altitude increased. They also show that state-type anxiety shows a s imilar time-course to cAS, but not RAS. Alternatively, our results demonstr ate a significant negative correlation between Factor M of the 16PF questio nnaire, which is a personality trait that ranges from praxernia to autia. I n contrast, no significant correlation was found between personality traits and AS. This suggests that AS could not be predicted using personality tra its and further support that personality traits, such as praxernia (happeni ng sensitivity), could play a major role in the occurrence of state-type an xiety responses in extreme environments. In addition, the general processes of coping and adaptation in individuals participating in extreme environme ntal experiments are discussed. (C) 1999 Academic Press.