Jh. Abraini, EVIDENCE FOR INERT-GAS NARCOSIS MECHANISMS IN THE OCCURRENCE OF PSYCHOTIC-LIKE EPISODES AT PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT, NeuroReport, 6(4), 1995, pp. 695-699
PSYCHOTIC-LIKE episodes in divers exposed to high pressure have been a
ttributed to either the high-pressure neurological syndrome, confineme
nt in pressure chamber, the subject's personality, or the addition of
nitrogen or hydrogen to the basic helium-oxygen breathing mixture used
for deep diving. Alternatively, it is suggested that these disorders
are in fact paroxysmal narcotic symptoms that result from the sum of t
he individual narcotic potencies of each inert gas in the breathing mi
xture. This hypothesis is tested against a variety of lipid solubility
theories of narcosis. The results clearly support hypothesis and prov
ide new information about the cellular interactions between inert gase
s at raised pressure and pressure itself.