What Researchers Did
Researchers tested 139 commercial divers in a dry hyperbaric chamber at 1 and 6 atmospheres absolute (ATA) to see how nitrogen narcosis affected their ability to remember shapes by touch.
What They Found
Divers' ability to recall shapes by touch worsened by 8% when they learned the shapes at 6 ATA compared to learning them at 1 ATA (surface pressure). The study also found that lower anxiety levels were linked to better recall, while lower education levels were linked to poorer recall.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian commercial divers, these findings highlight the potential impact of nitrogen narcosis on memory, especially when working in low visibility. This suggests that divers may need to use other methods to record information at depth to ensure accurate recall after a dive.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This study was conducted in a dry hyperbaric chamber, which might not fully replicate the complex conditions of actual open-water diving.