University of Montreal
Antarctica and the hibernating brain; The interaction between mental fatigue, hypoxia, exercise and sleep in an isolated, confined and extreme (ICE) environment — Extended exposure to the isolated and extreme conditions at the Concordia station may induce mental fatigue, a state associated with mood disturbances, safety concerns, and work errors. The BREEZE-project aims to comprehensively evaluate mental fatigue, sleep, and physical fitness during an Antarctic overwintering campaign by tracking psychological, (neuro)physiological, and behavioral parameters. Assessments will include questionnaires on fatigue, sleepiness, coping strategies, and mood, as well as polysomnography, exercise heart rate, genotype analysis, arterial oxygen saturation, actigraphy, and activity diaries. The study will focus on interindividual differences and their stability over time. Additionally, two countermeasures will be tested: acetazolamide supplementation to improve sleep quality and reduce mental fatigue, and oxygen-enriched physical exercise to enhance performance and consequently mitigate fatigue. Ultimately, the project aims to map mental fatigability changes a