Arterial Oxygen Desaturation During Moderate Hypoxia Hinders Sensorimotor Performance

PURPOSE: Moderate hypoxia can often reduce cognitive and sensorimotor performance prior to self-recognized impairments. Therefore, rapid and objective assessment tools are needed to help identify people at risk of impaired function during moderate hypoxia. One potential solution is gamified cognitive assessments, where electronic games provide objective feedback of subtle alterations in targeted metrics of cognitive function within different domains. Thus, this study tested the hypothesis that reductions in arterial oxygen saturation during moderate normobaric hypoxia decreases gamified sensorimotor performance as measured by alterations of motor acuity. METHODS: After three consecutive days of practice, thirty healthy adults (25 ± 5 y, 10 women) completed three rounds of a tablet-based, gamified assessment of motor acuity (Statespace Labs, Inc.) at Baseline, 60, and 90 minutes after being exposed to 13.8 ± 0.2% (hypoxia) and 20.1 ± 0.4% (normoxia) oxygen. The assessment required moving the tablet to aim and shoot targets. Both conditions were completed on the same day and were administered in a single-blind, block randomized manner. Performance metrics included shot time and variability. Arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation was monitored via forehead pulse oximetry (SpO2). Data were analyzed using linear mixed effects model. RESULTS: Compared to normoxia (99 ± 1%), SpO2 was lower (p < 0.001) at 60 (89 ± 3%) and 90 (90 ± 2%) min of hypoxia. Shot time was unaffected by decreases in SpO2 (0.012, p = 0.19) and was not affected by the interaction between SpO2 decrease and baseline performance (0.006, p = 0.46). Shot variability was greater (i.e., less precision, worse performance) with decreases in SpO2 (0.023, p = 0.02) and depended on the interaction between SpO2 decrease and baseline performance (0.029, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Decreases in SpO2 during moderate hypoxic exposure hinders sensorimotor performance via decreased motor acuity, i.e., greater variability (less precision) with no change in speed with differing decreases in SpO2. Thus, personnel who are exposed to moderate hypoxia have greater decreases in SpO2 exhibit lower motor acuity, i.e., less precise movements despite decision time and movement speed remaining unaffected. Statespace Labs, Inc.