Lower Neurocognitive Function in U-2 Pilots: Relationship to White Matter Hyperintensities

Abstract

Determine whether United States Air Force (USAF) U-2 pilots (U2Ps) with occupational exposure to repeated hypobaria had lower neurocognitive performance compared to pilots without repeated hypobaric exposure and whether U2P neurocognitive performance correlated with white matter hyperintensity (WMH) burden. Methods: We collected Multidimensional Aptitude Battery II (MAB-II) and MicroCog: Assessment of Cognitive Functioning (MicroCog) neurocognitive data on USAF U2Ps with a history of repeated occupational exposure to hypobaria and compared these with control data collected from USAF pilots (AFPs) without repeated hypobaric exposure (U2Ps/AFPs MAB-II 87/83; Micro- Cog 93/80). Additional comparisons were performed between U2Ps with high vs low WMH burden. Results: U2Ps with repeated hypobaric exposure had significantly lower scores than control pilots on reasoning/calculation (U2Ps/AFPs 99.4/106.5), memory (105.5/110.9), information processing accuracy (102.1/105.8), and general cognitive functioning (103.5/108.5). In addition, U2Ps with high whole-brain WMH count showed significantly lower scores on reasoning/calculation (high/low 96.8/104.1), memory (102.9/110.2), general cognitive functioning (101.5/107.2), and general cognitive proficiency (103.6/108.8) than U2Ps with low WMH burden (high/low WMH mean volume 0.213/0.003 cm3 and mean count 14.2/0.4). Conclusion: In these otherwise healthy, highly functioning individuals, pilots with occupational exposure to repeated hypobaria demonstrated lower neurocognitive performance, albeit demonstrable on only some tests, than pilots without repeated exposure. Furthermore, within the U2P population, higher WMH burden was associated with lower neurocognitive test performance. Hypobaric exposure may be a risk factor for subtle changes in neurocognition.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 09, 2014
Accession Number
ADA611526

Entities

People

  • Beenish Patel
  • David F Tate
  • Elaine S. Kawano
  • Joe Wood
  • John H. Sladky
  • Kent Mcdonald
  • Laura M. Rowland
  • Paul M. Sherman
  • Stephen A McGuire
  • Susan N. Wright

Organizations

  • United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Active Duty
  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Cognition
  • Computers
  • Data Analysis
  • Flight Training
  • Health Services
  • High Altitude
  • Information Processing
  • Military Pilots
  • Reaction Time
  • Reasoning
  • Risk Factors
  • Statistical Analysis
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Medicine
  • Psychology

Readers

  • Circadian Sleep-Wake Regulation and Chronobiology
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.
  • Psychometric Testing or Psychological Assessment.