Human Performance Effects of Decreased Cerebral Tissue Oxygen Saturation Induced by Various Levels of Mixed Oxygen/Nitrogen.

Abstract

Non-invasive measures of arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) and regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) were recorded as hypoxic subjects' (N-11) performances were measured on a computer-based cognitive task. One objective was to correlate changes in rSO2 (Somanetics INOS 3100 cerebral oximeter) to changes to SaO2 (Nellco N-200 pulse oximeter). Each subject was instrumented with a cerebral oxysensor, a Nellcor RS-10 oxysensor and EEG electrodes for P300 evoked potential measurement. A Sternberg single-stimulus visual task was to evaluate performance. Hypoxic SaO2 levels of 90%, 80% and 70% were randomized across subjects, and attained using gas mixtures consisting of 12.8%, 11.8% and 10.9% oxygen corresponding to altitudes of 13,000, 15,000 and 17,000 feet. rS02 correlated with the downward trends of SaO2 during desaturation but showed slower return to normal, correlating with failure of subject CNS function to return to normal. There were significant differences in saturation and performance parameters between the 90% target mix and the others, but no consistent difference between the 80% and 70% mixes. CNS deficiencies persisted even though Sa02 had returned to normal.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1995
Accession Number
ADA315960

Entities

People

  • Arthur Arnold
  • Kathy Mccloskey
  • Lloyd D. Tripp

Organizations

  • Armstrong Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Altitude
  • Arteries
  • Blood
  • Cardiovascular System
  • Data Analysis
  • Electrodes
  • Electrophysiological Phenomena
  • Heart Rate
  • Instrumentation
  • Measurement
  • Medical Personnel
  • Oximeters
  • Oxygenation
  • Performance Tests
  • Physiological Monitoring
  • Regression Analysis

Readers

  • Brain and Cognitive Science; Experimental Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Cardiovascular Physiology