EFFECTS OF COMPRESSION RATE ON RATS CAROTID BLOOD-FLOW

The effects of compression rate on carotid bloodflow were investigated in awake rats submitted to hyperbaric experiments conducted up to 70 bar (7 MPa, gauge pressure) with either slow compression (0.1 bar/min) , i.e., inducing only mild High Pressure Neurological Syndrome (HPNS) or fast compression (2 bar/min), i.e., in the earlier time course of e xperiments leading to epileptic seizures. implanted transit-time ultra sonic flowprobes were used, and data were analyzed by regression metho ds. Mean carotid blood flow increased with ambient pressure during eit her low or high compression rate, but the increase was significantly m ore important with the latter. These results evidenced that carotid bl ood flow increased with ambient pressure, and moreover that this enhan cement depends on compression rate.