title: Is decision making in hypoxia affected by pre-acclimatisation? A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Decision making is impaired in hypoxic environments, which may have serious or even lethal consequences for mountaineers. An acclimatisation period prior to high altitude exposures may help to overcome adverse effects of hypoxia. Thus, we investigated possible effects of short-term pre-acclimatisation on decision making in hypoxia.
  
  
  
  In a randomized controlled study design, 52 healthy participants were allocated to a hypoxia group (HG: short-term pre-acclimatisation by the use of intermittent hypoxia 7×1h at FiO2=12.6%, equivalent to 4500m) or a control group (CG: sham pre-acclimatisation 7×1h at FiO2=20.9%, equivalent to 600m). The number of risky decisions was assessed using the Game of Dice Task at four time points during a 12-hours stay in hypoxia (FiO2=12.6%).
  
  
  
  42 (HG: 27, CG: 25) participants completed the study. The number of risky decisions was significantly (p=0.048 as determined by 4×2 ANCOVA) reduced in the hypoxia group compared to the control group, partial η2=0.11, when the age-effect on decision making was controlled. Self-reported positive affective valence prior to decision making was negatively related to the number of risky decisions, r<-0.38.
  
  
  
  Short-term pre-acclimatisation might influence decision making in hypoxia in a positive way and might be considered as a risk-reducing preparation method prior to exposures to hypoxic environments. Positive affective states seem to have a medium-sized protective effect against risky decision making.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Austria. Electronic address: martin.niedermeier@uibk.ac.at.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niedermeier
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weisleitner
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lamm
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ledochowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Anika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frühauf
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wille
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burtscher
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kopp
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010313:Partial Pressure; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acclimatisation; Acute mountain sickness; Decision making; Intermittent hypoxia; Mountaineering; Risk taking