Interactive Effects of High-Altitude Acclimatization and Nicotine Dependence on Cognitive Function: An Empirical Study Based on the Flanker Task
Abstract
Participants included 139 young males from Lhasa, Tibet, utilizing a 2 (nicotine dependence: non-dependent vs. dependent) 2 (high-altitude
acclimatization: low vs. high) between-subjects design. Executive function was assessed using the Flanker task. Results revealed no significant main effect of nicotine dependence on cognitive performance, but a significant interaction with high-altitude acclimatization. In the lowacclimatization group, nicotine-dependent individuals exhibited significantly longer reaction times (RT), whereas no significant difference was
observed in the high-acclimatization group. Further analysis demonstrated a significant RT disparity between nicotine-dependent individuals
with low versus high acclimatization, supporting the hypoxia-oxidative stress synergistic impairment hypothesis. Enhanced high-altitude
acclimatization may mitigate the negative cognitive effects of nicotine dependence by improving cerebral oxygen delivery systems. This study
provides novel theoretical insights for cognitive health management in high-altitude populations, emphasizing the critical interplay between
acclimatization and nicotine dependence in cognitive outcomes.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.70711/frim.v3i6.6669
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