Oxygen as a Limiting Factor for Performing Multitasking

Oxygen as a Limiting Factor for Performing Multitasking: Functional Evaluation Under Normobaric and Hyperbaric Oxygenation of Healthy Participants

The Brain uses 20% of the total oxygen supply consumed by the entire body. Even though, less than 10% of the brain is active at every given time, the brain utilizes almost all the oxygen delivered. In order to perform different tasks or more than one task (multi-tasking), the oxygen supply is shifted from one brain region to another, via modulation of blood perfusion.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) environment, with increased oxygen supply to the brain, will enable better performance of complex and/or multiple activities.

Methods: a prospective, double blind randomized control, cross over trial including healthy volunteers. Participants were asked to perform a cognitive task, a motor task and a simultaneous cognitive-motor task (multi-tasking). Participants were randomized to perform the tasks at 2 environments: (a) normobaric air (1ATA 21% oxygen) (b) HBO (2ATA 100% oxygen). Two weeks later participants were crossed to the alternative environment. Blinding of the normobaric environment was achieved in the same chamber with masks on while hyperbaric sensation was simulated by increasing pressure in the first minute and gradually decreasing to normobaric environment prior to tasks performance.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cognitive Change
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Hyperbaric oxygen; Device: Hyperbaric chamber, normal air

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 24
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Israel
  • Zerifin, Israel, 70300
    • Assaf-Harofeh Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy volunteers,
• minimum of 12 years of formal education

Exclusion Criteria:

• any inner ear pathologies,
• any lung disease,
• any mental or physical limitation of participat in going into oxygen chamber environment

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: CROSSOVER
• Masking: SINGLE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Treratment; 100% oxygen at 2 ATA at the hyperbaric chamber	Device: Hyperbaric oxygen; Breathing 100% oxygen at 2ATA in the hyperbaric chamber
PLACEBO_COMPARATOR: Placebo; normal air, in the hyperbaric chamber	Device: Hyperbaric chamber, normal air; Hyperbaric chamber with normal air

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Cognitive/Attention Symbol-Digit Modality Test (SDMT)	Three different forms of the SDMT were used in each evaluation session. The first was a try-out for the test, ensuring understanding of the task. The second tests the ability to per-form an individual task. The third form was used together with the motor test for examin-ing dual task performance. Standard administration procedures were followed as indicat-ed in the test manual. The score of the test is the number of correct substitutions during 90-second interval.	45 minutes
Motor task: transferring of beans	Motor performance was evaluated by the Motor Assessment Scale test (MAS) - transfer-ring units of beans one by one between two tea cups an arm length away.	45 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Assaf-Harofeh Medical Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): November 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): November 30, 2016
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): March 25, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 20, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 20, 2017
• First Posted (ACTUAL): April 24, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): January 17, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 15, 2018
• Last Verified: April 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Hyperbaric oxygen; multitasking performance; cognitive funcitons
• Other Study ID Numbers: 213/13

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No