title: Declarative memory impairments following a military combat course: parallel neuropsychological and biochemical investigations.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact on several forms of memory and metabolism of a 5-day combat course including heavy and continuous physical activities and sleep deprivation. Mnemonic performance and biochemical parameters of 21 male soldiers were examined before and at the end of the course. Our results showed that short-term memory (memory span, visual memory, audiovisual association) and long-term memory were significantly impaired, whereas short-term spatial memory and planning tasks were spared. Parallel biochemical analysis showed an adaptation of energy metabolism. The observed decrease in glycaemia may be partly responsible for the long-term memory impairment, whereas the decreases in plasma cholinesterases and choline may be involved in the short-term memory deterioration. However, there are also many other reasons for the observed memory changes, one of them being chronic sleep deprivation.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Médecine Aérospatiale du Service de Santé des Armées, Brétigny-sur-Orge, Cedex, France. cpierard@imassa.fr
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Piérard
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Béracochéa
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérès
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jouanin
authors.forename: Pierrette
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liscia
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Satabin
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Testylier
authors.forename: Charles Yannick
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Guézennec
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beaumont
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis