Effects of acute mild and moderate hypoxia on human mood state.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of acute mild and moderate hypoxia on human mood state. METHOD: The mood states of 18 healthy male volunteers were evaluated by self-assessment questionnaires, profile of mood state (POMS) and state anxiety inventory (S-AI) after random exposure to simulated altitude of 300 m (control), 2800 m, 3600 m and 4400 m for 1 h in a hypobaric chamber. RESULT: The data at 300 m level were taken as the baseline control. The negative mood state factor points (tension, fatigue etc.) increased gradually as the altitude level increased while V (vigor-activity) points had a tendency to decrease (P<0.05 or P<0.01). No significant difference was found in the points of (D, A) even under exposure to 4400 m (P>0.05). At the early period of 2800 m exposure the tension points of POMS and S-AI scores were higher than those of control level (P<0.05) then dropped to baseline level when exposure to this altitude for 1 h. CONCLUSION: Exposure to acute mild hypobaric hypoxia at 2800 m for 1 h has adverse effect on mood state of healthy person and the negative effect was further aggravated with the increment of altitude level.