Subjective and behavioural responses to nitrogen narcosis and alcohol.

Full Abstract

RATIONALE:
There is a widespread assumption that nitrogen narcosis is comparable to alcohol intoxication, a similarity that may extend to patterns of tolerance. It has been suggested this indicates evidence of a shared biological mechanism but there is a paucity of experimental data to support these claims.

OBJECTIVE:
The current study aimed to test this assumption by comparing subjective (ratings) and behavioural (Digit Letter Substitution Test) responses to nitrogen narcosis and alcohol.

METHODS:
Experiment 1 compared responses to narcosis in 39 participants posited to differ in tolerance based on prior exposure to alcohol (heavy/light drinkers) and narcosis (novice/experienced divers). Experiment 2 compared responses to narcosis and after a 0.5 g/kg dose of alcohol in 23 participants. In both experiments narcosis was measured at depths between 40 and 45m in the ocean off Port Vila, Vanuatu.

RESULTS:
Experiment 1 measured a significant decrement in the behavioural measure underwater, compared to baseline but failed to find any differential responding to narcosis between drinker or diving experience groups. In contrast, Experiment 2 found positive correlations between alcohol and narcosis on both subjective and behavioural measures, indicating those affected to a greater degree by alcohol were also affected to a greater degree by narcosis.

CONCLUSIONS:
These results support the contention of a relationship between nitrogen narcosis and alcohol, although the role of diving and drinking history, if any, remains obscure.

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Author information

Author/s: Hobbs, M (M);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Winchester West Hill, Winchester SO22 4NR, UK.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article

Journal: Undersea & hyperbaric medicine : journal of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, Inc (Undersea Hyperb Med), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2008 May-Jun; vol 35 (issue 3) : pp 175-84

Dates: Created 2008/07/14; Completed 2008/07/17;

PMID: 18619113, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Alcohol Drinking - physiopathology; psychology
Alcoholic Intoxication - physiopathology; psychology
Analysis of Variance
Anxiety - psychology
Diving - physiology; psychology

Drug Tolerance
Female
Humans
Inert Gas Narcosis - physiopathology; psychology
Male
Middle Aged
Psychomotor Performance

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