Are Himalayan Sherpas better protected against brain damage associated with extreme altitude climbs?
1. The potential risk of brain damage when low-landers attempt to climb the highest summits is a well-known fact. However, very little is known about what occurs to Himalayan natives, perfectly adapted to high altitude, when performing the same type of activity. 2. Taking into account their long-life climbing experience at extreme altitudes, we examined seven of the most recognized Sherpas with the aim of performing a comprehensive neurological evaluation based on medical history, physical examination and magnetic resonance brain imaging. We compared them with one group of 21 lowland elite climbers who had ascended to altitudes of over 8000 m, and another control group of 21 healthy individuals who had never been exposed to high altitude. 3. While all of the lowland climbers presented psychoneurological symptoms during or after the expeditions, and 13 of them (61%) showed magnetic resonance abnormalities (signs of mild cortical atrophy and/or periventricular high-intensity signal areas
