Mountain Climbers in Danger of Brain Damage

Italian researchers suggest mountain climbers suffer from subtle brain damage. This has been concluded on the basis of 'before' and 'after' studies conducted on nine male climbers.

Outwardly, these climbers experienced no noticable change. But MRI scans reveal loss in density and volume of brain tissue in two critical areas. The contractions are attributed to oxygen starvation given the reduced pressure at high altitudes and the tendency of experienced climbers to brave the conditions without cumbersome supplies of additional oxygen.

But the researchers claim that the effects are relatively minor and unlikely to demonstrate discrepancies in memory and neural performance. The act of braving peaks then seems no more dangerous than the act of repeatedly striking a soccer ball with your head: both result in subtle and progressive deterioration in brain tissue.