What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated how high ambient air pressure affects verbal memory in 24 experienced divers by exposing them to either 0.5 meters of seawater (msw) or 50 msw (0.6 MPa) in a dry hyperbaric chamber.
What They Found
The group at 50 msw showed a significant decrease in free recall memory when learning material at depth (P < 0.01). Post-dive recall of this material remained significantly impaired (P < 0.05), though recognition memory was normal. No significant effects on stress indicators like salivary cortisol or heart rate were observed in either group.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The study acknowledges that other stressors in the hyperbaric environment might have contributed to the observed memory deficits.