What Researchers Did
Researchers tested how well 21 people could detect a flickering light, a way to measure alertness and brain function, before and during a hyperbaric chamber session.
What They Found
This observational study of 21 subjects found that the two threshold measures within the flicker test (the flicker and fusion frequencies) differed from each other in both normobaric and hyperbaric conditions (p less than 0.01). Of the 21 participants, 15 breathed oxygen during decompression to lower the risk of decompression sickness. The study also found that CFFF test results depended on whether oxygen was breathed during decompression.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The study involved a small group of 21 subjects with no long-term follow-up, so it cannot show whether any test differences lasted beyond the chamber session.