PSYCHOMOTOR FUNCTIONING WHILE BREATHING VARYING PARTIAL PRESSURES OF OXYGEN-NITROGEN
Abstract
To examine the proposition that gaseous nitrogen produces some degree of narcosis under normal or reduced pressures, 70 subjects were tested on a multidimensional pursuit task while breathing various oxygen-nitrogen mixtures. The partial pressure of nitrogen was reduced in two ways: (1) by increasing the oxygen percentage in the mixture while maintaining constant total pressure, or (2) by decreasing the total pressure while maintaining a constant partial pressure of oxygen. There were no significant changes in performance that could be regarded as correlated with the nitrogen variable. However, increments in the partial pressure of oxygen lessened significantly the rate and magnitude of performance decrements, as noted by previous investigators. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1962
- Accession Number
- AD0287090
Entities
People
- Jared M. Dunn
Organizations
- United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine