For those who goes for high altitude training and comes home feeling strange … well it is because your brain could have been severely damaged.
Well, according to this article, “Into Thin Air: Mountain Climbing Kills Brain Cells“ The neural cost of high-altitude mountaineering: by R. Douglas Fields, the findings are not too “elevating” either:
“Neurologist Nicolás Fayed and his colleagues in Zaragoza, Spain, performed MRI brain scans on 35 climbers (12 professionals and 23 amateurs) who had returned from high-altitude expeditions, including 13 who had attempted Everest. They found brain damage in virtually every Everest climber but also in many climbers of lesser peaks who returned unaware that they had injured their brain. It seems that climbers of high mountains, whether weekend warrior or seasoned professional, face returning from the high peaks with a brain that is not in the same condition it was in beforehand.” (link)
So sometimes when we say this guy who had gone for high-altitude training is out of his mind, is, actually quite true. So that is why those in fighting in the high-altitude mountainous regions are doing it almost autonomously may be out of sheer madness or simply a numbed skull.
So, my advice to those who either volunteer or got volunteered to do high altitude training to get enough equilibrium in term of atmospheric pressure to prevent fluids from leaking out of their brain (not sure if this is reversible by drinking lots of water, as certain health official seemed to state this whenever fluid or electrolytes are lost). So sad.
For those into high altitude parachuting, maybe the aircraft cabin should open at the very last minute as opposed to prolonged period of hatch opening “to acclimatise” , so as to avoid too much fluid leaking from your brain. It is rather similar to a diver surfacing rapidly and exeperiencing the “divers bend” of gaseous bubbling out of your bloodstream. Something like opening a can of gassy (carbonated) drink with bubbles bubbling out and especially even so if you shake the can. Thus vigorous movement like inside a plane at high-altitude (non-pressurized) will perhaps cause more bubbling and brain fluid leaking than you can take, and maybe this could be disastrous if the brain “blank out” during a parachute jump for example. I remember when I was a Juzhaigou nature reserve in Szechuan, in 2006, at about 3.5km altitude, we were told to move slowly to prevent altitude sickness. The younger ones, usually the gung-ho type would do otherwise. Perhaps there is a common wisdom to that. Even the sherpas guides move at a leisurely pace. Less physical activities at high-altitude and pressure equilibrium whenever possible to protect your brain… unless you do not intend to use after them after the adventure or mis-adventure. Likewise, cold weather will constrict your blood vessels and your heart pumps harder. Recently a guy went running at 10 degree celcius after arriving from a tropical country and suffered a heart attack. Again, proper attire and equipment are needed to remain healthy in different climate and atmospheric pressure. So the word “acclimatisation” should be factored in properly. Staying too long in such unnecessary “acclimatisation” for stupid reasons, without proper attire and equipment, deteriorates both your performance and health.
I think this is a rather commonsense approach. Do reproach me if you think this is wrong. Do a brain-scan first.
Take Care!
Mikey
