title: Reversible Brain Abnormalities in People Without Signs of Mountain Sickness During High-Altitude Exposure.
abstract: A large proportion of lowlanders ascending to high-altitude (HA) show no signs of mountain sickness. Whether their brains have indeed suffered from HA environment and the persistent sequelae after return to lowland remain unknown. Thirty-one sea-level college students, who had a 30-day teaching on Qinghai-Tibet plateau underwent MRI scans before, during, and two months after HA exposure. Brain volume, cortical structures, and white matter microstructure were measured. Besides, serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE), C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6 and neuropsychiatric behaviors were tested. After 30-day HA exposure, the gray and white matter volumes and cortical surface areas significantly increased, with cortical thicknesses and curvatures changed in a wide spread regions; Anisotropy decreased with diffusivities increased in multiple sites of white matter tracts. Two months after HA exposure, cortical measurements returned to basal level. However, increased anisotropy with decreased diffusivities was observed. Behaviors and serum inflammatory factor did not significant changed during three time-point tests. NSE significantly decreased during HA but increased after HA exposure. Results suggest brain swelling occurred in people without neurological signs at HA, but no negative sequelae in cortical structures and neuropsychiatric functions were left after the return to lowlands. Reoxygenation changed white matter microstructure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Cunxiu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Institute of high altitude medicine, Tibet Autonomous Region People's Hospital, Lasa 850000, Tibet Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Yuhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tibet Autonomous Region People's Hospital, Lasa 850000, Tibet Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Wu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tibet Autonomous Region People's Hospital, Lasa 850000, Tibet Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Haipeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Magnetic Resonance Center, Zhongshan Hospital Xiamen University, Xiamen 361004, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Jianzhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Magnetic Resonance Center, Zhongshan Hospital Xiamen University, Xiamen 361004, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Tianhe
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Institute of high altitude medicine, Tibet Autonomous Region People's Hospital, Lasa 850000, Tibet Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Luobu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gesang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China.
authors.forename: Jiaxing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D016880:Anisotropy; D001831:Body Temperature; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009929:Organ Size; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen