Words from Wik

Another break from Aconcagua reporting, here is an article I found interesting on high-altitude mountaineering and brain damage. I will admit I was not too surprised by it as I’ve met many people that have mentioned this, however it’s interesting to see that it can be scientifically verified.

A new study of professional mountain climbers shows that high-altitude climbing causes a subtle loss of brain cells and motor function.
On scans, the climbers showed a reduction in both white and gray matter in various parts of the brain.
Six of the nine climbers had lower than average scores on the Digit Symbol test, which measures executive functions. Three out of nine scored lower than average on memory tests, while four scored below average on a visual-motor function test. The study authors noted that the results “are most likely to be due to progressive, subtle brain insults caused by repeated high-altitude exposure.”

To see the full article click here.