High Altitude Mountain Climbing causes Brain Damage

[hopefulhiker]

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/1...for-the-brain/

[kayak karl]

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/1...for-the-brain/

maybe a lack of brain cells causes you to climb mountians the old which came first

[The Solemates]

we seem to be doing fine...its just like everything else...moderation.

[Blissful]

I feel pretty smart after climbing Lassen Peak (but it's not that high, though).

[Jack Tarlin]

So most high-altitude hikers are evidently somewhat brain damaged.

At least according to Hopeful and the New York Times.

Well, I'm a daily reader of the Times; have been for years.

Seems to me I remember reading that most extreme sportsmen, including high-altitude mountaineers, tend to be young, male, single, and embrace a fairly progressive, dare I say carefree and liberal mindset.

So what we see is a group that is young, carefree, extreme, progressive, liberal, and sadly, profoundly brain damaged.

Well, we've long suspected this.

Our thanks to Hopeful for pointing this out.

[skinewmexico]

I doubt that the average backpacker, and very few climbers, ever get to the kind of altitiude that causes brain damage.

[littlelaurel59]

"Overall, the researchers found that the cognitive abilities that were most likely to be affected were the climbers’ executive function and memory.P

These deficits are commonly seen in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Are high altitude climbers (who are engaged in a high physical intensity, high stimulation, high risk activity) more likely to have traits consistent with ADHD? I doubt a study has been done, although it seems logical. Are there differences between those who engage in similar types of activities, but at lower altitudes?

I haven't read the study, but this sounds like a "Which came first- the chicken or the egg" paradox. It would be interesting to see how the scans of these individuals High altitude climbers) change over a 10 year climbing career.

By the way, according to a genetics prof many years ago- the EGG came first. The bird we know as the domestic chicken hatched from an egg. It is a genetic hybrid between two different species of birds, neither of which were chickens. Now Ya know.

[Homer&Marje]

The research study says they compared hikers up to the ages of 50 + and they used 19 year old males as the control..... some of the brain cell loss was probably just natural age progression. IMHO

[Pedaling Fool]

...By the way, according to a genetics prof many years ago- the EGG came first. The bird we know as the domestic chicken hatched from an egg. It is a genetic hybrid between two different species of birds, neither of which were chickens. Now Ya know.

Thanks, that does answer a nagging question I've always had, yet like all of these answers, they only lead to new questions.

These other two species of birds....?



http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/1...for-the-brain/ What about the Sherpas?

[Rockhound]

Finally. something I can blame my brain damage on.

[fredmugs]

I can prove anything with statistics.

[Alli]

Ed Viesturs seems to be doing just fine mentally...

[The Solemates]

So most high-altitude hikers are evidently somewhat brain damaged.

At least according to Hopeful and the New York Times.

Well, I'm a daily reader of the Times; have been for years.

Seems to me I remember reading that most extreme sportsmen, including high-altitude mountaineers, tend to be young, male, single, and embrace a fairly progressive, dare I say carefree and liberal mindset.

So what we see is a group that is young, carefree, extreme, progressive, liberal, and sadly, profoundly brain damaged.

Well, we've long suspected this.

Our thanks to Hopeful for pointing this out.

here's a few that are married and conservative.

say what you want to about our brains...