Hypoxia Disrupts Multiple Processes Supporting Spatial Navigation

Research reveals that hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation, disrupts various processes essential for spatial navigation, affecting both cognitive function and brain activity. In a study conducted on healthy young adults, it was found that both continuous (CH) and intermittent (IH) exposure to hypoxia impaired navigation performance and resting-state electroencephalography (EEG).

Participants underwent either sham (FiO2 = .209) or hypoxia (FiO2 = .13) sessions, and their navigation was evaluated using the Spatial Performance Assessment for Cognitive Evaluation (SPACE). Resting-state EEG was recorded before and after the interventions in a subset of participants (n = 40), with spectral analysis focusing on periodic (alpha and beta power and central frequency) and aperiodic (exponent and offset) components.

Using ART analyses of variance, the study determined that hypoxia, regardless of the intervention group, increased path integration distance error, egocentric pointing angle error, and impaired mapping accuracy, which appeared more pronounced with IH. Additionally, hypoxia reduced alpha and beta power, beta central frequency, and aperiodic exponent, with the aperiodic exponent reductions primarily observable following IH.

Interestingly, a reduction in peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) did not correlate with individual differences in navigation performance or EEG activity. This study highlights that even brief, moderate hypoxic exposure can significantly disrupt both allocentric and egocentric components of spatial navigation, as well as specific aspects of intrinsic brain activity.