Variations in Psychomotor Efficiency during Prolonged Stay at High Altitude

Abstract
Alterations in psychomotor efficiency of 25 young adults (age range 21-30 yr) were studied during their stay up to two yr at an altitude of 4000 m. Psychomotor performance, its speed and accuracy were measured by administering an eye-hand coordination test at sea level and altitude after stay periods of 1, 10, 13, 18 and 24 months. Overall psychomotor efficiency, its accuracy and speed declined during early stages of altitude exposure. A progressive recovery was registered in overall performance by way of improvement in accuracy after 13 months presumably due to acclimatization. Speed in performance showed no such gradual return to sea-level standard.