The Role of Oxygen Breathing on Carotid Body Sensitivity, Oxygen Toxicity, and Performance in Divers
Abstract
Many Navy divers have a reduced ventilatory response to hypercapnia, which leads to CO2 retention. The reduction in carotid body chemosensitivity during and following a dive might further exacerbate CO2 retention leading to both physiological symptoms, such as arrhythmias and headaches, as well as psychological symptoms, such as lethargy and confusion. Additionally, CO2 retention increases the risk of decompression syndrome and oxygen toxicity. A reduction in carotid body chemosensitivity may also hinder blood glucose regulation, blood pressure control, and ventilatory responses during physical exertion. Collectively, this may compromise diver health, performance, and increase the risk of diving accidents.In this project, the PI will determine if carotid body chemosensitivity in humans is reduced following a dive. The hypothesis is that carotid body chemosensitivity after 4 hours of water immersion at 20 fsw will be reduced when compared to pre-dive values and potentially reduced further following a cold water dive when compared to the thermoneutral dive. Ultimately, data from this study may provide insight into the mechanisms underlying oxygen toxicity in divers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 23, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141612954
Entities
People
- David Hostler
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Research Foundation for the State University of New York
- United States Navy