Accession Number:

ADA616151

Title:

White Matter Hyperintensities and Hypobaric Exposure

Descriptive Note:

Journal article

Corporate Author:

SCHOOL OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH AEROMEDICAL RESEARCH DEPT

Personal Author(s):

• McGuire, Stephen A.
• Sherman, Paul M.
• Wijtenburg, S. A.
• Rowland, Laura M.
• Grogan, Patrick M.
• Sladky, John H.
• Robinson, Andrew Y.
• Kochunov, Peter V.

Report Date:

2014-11-01

Pagination or Media Count:

9.0

Abstract:

Demonstrate occupational exposure to non-hypoxic hypobaria is associated with subcortical white matter hyperintensity WMH on fluid attenuated inversion recovery FLAIR magnetic resonance imaging MRI. Methods Eighty-three altitude chamber personnel PHY, 105 U-2 pilots U2P, and 148 age- controlled and health-matched doctorate degree controls DOC underwent high-resolution MRI. Subcortical WMH burden was quantified as count and volume of subcortical WMH lesions after transformation of images to the Talairach-atlas-based stereotactic frame. Results Subcortical WMH are more prevalent in PHY volume p0.011count p0.019 and U2P volume p less than 0.001count p less than 0.001 when compared to DOC, while PHY are not significantly different than U2P. Interpretation This study provides strong evidence that non-hypoxic hypobaric exposure may induce subcortical WMH in a young, healthy population lacking other risk factors for WMH and adds this occupational exposure to other environmentally related potential causes of WMH.

Descriptors:

• *BRAIN
• *EXPOSURE(PHYSIOLOGY)
• *HYPOBARIC CONDITIONS
• AIR FORCE PERSONNEL
• DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS
• DEGENERATION(PHYSIOLOGY)
• DIAGNOSIS(MEDICINE)
• HYPOXIA
• MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING
• NEUROLOGY
• OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE
• PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
• STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
• TRAUMA

Subject Categories:

• Medicine and Medical Research
• Stress Physiology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE