Cognitive and psychomotor responses to high-altitude exposure in sea level and high-altitude residents of Ecuador.

Background: High-altitude inhabitants have cardiovascular and respiratory adaptations that are advantageous for high-altitude living, but they may have impaired cognitive function. This study evaluated the influence of altitude of residence on cognitive and psychomotor function upon acute exposure to very high altitude.

Findings: Ecuadorians (31 residing at 0-1,500 m [LOW], 78 from 1,501-3,000 m [MOD], and 23 living >3,000 m [HIGH]) were tested upon their arrival to a hut at 4,860 m on Mount Chimborazo.

Pneumatic antishock garment inflation activates the human sympathetic nervous system by abdominal compression.

Pneumatic antishock garments (PASG) have been proposed to exert their blood pressure-raising effect mechanically, i.e. by increasing venous return and vascular resistance of the lower body.

Differentiating falsely recognized faces from incompletely remembered faces.

This study describes an experimental method for determining whether people who recognize a face containing both some target features and some new features are falsely recognizing the face or whether they are incompletely remembering it. Twenty min. after studying a target face either one time or a third time, 136 participants were instructed to examine six test faces similar to the target and to select two test faces sharing only target features and no unstudied features.