Zhao Shanguang, Luo Zhuang, Jiang Hongke, Feng Xiaowei, Wei Xin, Chen Steve
Department of Physical Education, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, China.
Guangxi academy science of industry-university-research, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, China.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 15;15(1):25462. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-10442-y.
High-altitude environments, can significantly impact cognitive functions, yet the neural mechanisms underlying altitude-induced changes in face recognition remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to examine the impact of high-altitude hypoxia on face recognition processes, with a specific focus on the modulation of the face inversion effect in event-related potentials across different altitude levels. A total of 120 participants were recruited and divided into four groups based on altitude: 347 m (low-altitude control), 2950 m, 3680 m, and 4530 m (high-altitude groups), with 30 participants in each group. Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to record brain activity, and event-related potentials components (P1 and N170) were analyzed to assess the effects of altitude on face processing, particularly regarding the face inversion effect. A significant altitude-dependent reduction in P1 amplitude was observed, with the 3680 m and 4530 m groups showing significantly lower amplitudes compared to the 347 m group (p < 0.05), and inverted faces elicited greater P1 amplitudes than upright faces (p = 0.035). N170 amplitude was significantly more negative for inverted faces compared to upright faces (p < 0.001), while the 4530 m group exhibited earlier N170 latencies than the other altitude groups (p < 0.05), suggesting possible neural adaptation to chronic hypoxia. The sLORETA results revealed progressive temporal lobe reorganization: the 4530 m group exhibited enhanced activation in superior temporal gyrus during inverted face processing, contrasting with diminished responses at moderate altitudes (3680 m). These findings provide neurophysiological evidence that high-altitude hypoxia significantly modulates face recognition processes, particularly the face inversion effect. The observed altitude-dependent alterations in ERP components suggest that hypoxia impacts both early sensory encoding (P1) and higher-order configural processing (N170).
高海拔环境会显著影响认知功能，但海拔引起的人脸识别变化背后的神经机制在很大程度上仍未得到探索。本研究旨在考察高海拔缺氧对人脸识别过程的影响，特别关注不同海拔水平下事件相关电位中面部倒置效应的调节。共招募了120名参与者，并根据海拔分为四组：347米（低海拔对照组）、2950米、3680米和4530米（高海拔组），每组30名参与者。采用脑电图（EEG）记录大脑活动，并分析事件相关电位成分（P1和N170），以评估海拔对人脸加工的影响，特别是关于面部倒置效应。观察到P1波幅存在显著的海拔依赖性降低，3680米和4530米组的波幅明显低于347米组（p < 0.05），且倒置面孔比正立面孔引发更大的P1波幅（p = 0.035）。与正立面孔相比，倒置面孔的N170波幅明显更负（p < 0.001），而4530米组的N170潜伏期比其他海拔组更早（p < 0.05），这表明可能存在对慢性缺氧的神经适应。sLORETA结果显示颞叶逐渐重组：4530米组在倒置面孔加工过程中颞上回激活增强，与中等海拔（3680米）时反应减弱形成对比。这些发现提供了神经生理学证据，表明高海拔缺氧显著调节人脸识别过程，特别是面部倒置效应。ERP成分中观察到的海拔依赖性变化表明，缺氧影响早期感觉编码（P1）和高阶构型加工（N170）。
