Long-term living at high altitude causes significant impairment of cognitive function. Central neurotransmitters are potential mediators of cognitive performance. We aimed to determine whether there were significant associations between select peripheral plasma neurotransmitters and cognitive performance in humans with chronic high-altitude (HA) exposure and to determine the association between peripheral plasma neurotransmitters and brain neurotransmitters in rats after chronic hypobaric hypoxia (HH) exposure. We demonstrated that 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA), dopamine, serotonin, 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) and GABA in the peripheral plasma were associated with cognitive performance in humans with HA exposure. Consistent with this result, peripheral plasma DOPA, dopamine, serotonin, 5-HIAA and glutamate were associated with brain neurotransmitter levels after chronic HH exposure in rats. These results provide experimental data indicating that neurotransmitter levels and cognitive performance are modified in chronic high-altitude exposure, with a possible causal effect.

长期居住在高海拔地区会严重损害认知功能。中枢神经递质是认知表现的潜在介体。我们的目的是确定慢性高海拔（HA）暴露的人中所选外周血浆神经递质与认知能力之间是否存在显着关联，并确定慢性低压缺氧（HH）暴露后大鼠外周血浆神经递质与脑神经递质之间的关联。我们证明，外周血血浆中的3,4-二羟基-L-苯丙氨酸（DOPA），多巴胺，5-羟色胺，5-羟基吲哚-3-乙酸（5-HIAA）和GABA与人类暴露于HA的认知能力有关。与该结果一致的是外周血浆DOPA，多巴胺，5-羟色胺，慢性HH暴露后，5-HIAA和谷氨酸与脑神经递质水平相关。这些结果提供了实验数据，表明在慢性高海拔暴露条件下神经递质水平和认知能力发生了改变，可能具有因果关系。