Brain under pressure: new study reveals how low oxygen affects exercise
NCT ID NCT01614119
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study looked at how the brain responds when people exercise while breathing low-oxygen air (like at high altitude). Thirty healthy men did exercise tests while researchers measured brain and muscle activity using special scans and stimulation. The goal was to understand why performance drops in low oxygen, not to test a treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- hypoxic gas mixture (12% oxygen)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help scientists understand why exercise is harder at high altitude or in low oxygen.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study in healthy men, not patients. It measures brain activity, not a treatment, so it may not lead to any direct medical benefit.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
30 people
The number who actually took part.
- Start date
-
Jun 2010
- Finished
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Jul 2011
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 50 years
- Sex
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Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Male * 18-50 yrs * No cardiovascular, respiratory or neuromuscular disorders Exclusion Criteria: * Cardiovascular, respiratory or neuromuscular diseases * Contraindication for TMS and MRI
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Grenoble University Hospital
Grenoble, 38042, France
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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