cozumelkeith
Registered
Hi There,
I am doing some research for a presentation on narcosis. I am having trouble wrapping my brain around two seemingly opposing phenomena and was wondering if any one could shed some light on this...
As we descend in the water column the ambient pressure increases/along with the pressure at which our regulator delivers gas. As a result the partial pressure of each component gas is increased proportionally. Increased partial pressures of nitrogen at some point cause narcosis. We are all familiar with this.
There is also a phenomena known as the pressure reversal effect in which increased hyperbaric pressure leads to a reduction in anesthetic potency. The mechanisms are not well understood but at least at one point the thinking was hydrophobic inert gases (e.g. N2) dissolve in the hydrophobic region of cell membranes which causes a volume change in the membrane which in turn disrupts membrane protein function. Increasing pressure reduces the volume change in the membrane and the anesthetic effect.
Is is just that at the pressures encountered in normal diving the narcotic effects outweigh the pressure effects?
I know this really isn't a deco question per se but thought there were some similar processes at play (e.g. gradients) that Dr. Deco might be familiar with. Feel free to move.
Thanks!
I am doing some research for a presentation on narcosis. I am having trouble wrapping my brain around two seemingly opposing phenomena and was wondering if any one could shed some light on this...
As we descend in the water column the ambient pressure increases/along with the pressure at which our regulator delivers gas. As a result the partial pressure of each component gas is increased proportionally. Increased partial pressures of nitrogen at some point cause narcosis. We are all familiar with this.
There is also a phenomena known as the pressure reversal effect in which increased hyperbaric pressure leads to a reduction in anesthetic potency. The mechanisms are not well understood but at least at one point the thinking was hydrophobic inert gases (e.g. N2) dissolve in the hydrophobic region of cell membranes which causes a volume change in the membrane which in turn disrupts membrane protein function. Increasing pressure reduces the volume change in the membrane and the anesthetic effect.
Is is just that at the pressures encountered in normal diving the narcotic effects outweigh the pressure effects?
I know this really isn't a deco question per se but thought there were some similar processes at play (e.g. gradients) that Dr. Deco might be familiar with. Feel free to move.
Thanks!