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Inert gas narcosis has no influence on thermo-tactile sensation

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Abstract

Contribution of skin thermal sensors under inert gas narcosis to the raising hypothermia is not known. Such information is vital for understanding the impact of narcosis on behavioural thermoregulation, diver safety and judgment of thermal (dis)comfort in the hyperbaric environment. So this study aimed at establishing the effects of normoxic concentration of 30% nitrous oxide (N2O) on thermo-tactile threshold sensation by studying 16 subjects [eight females and eight males; eight sensitive (S) and eight non-sensitive (NS) to N2O]. Their mean (SD) age was 22.1 (1.8) years, weight 72.8 (15.3) kg, height 1.75 (0.10) m and body mass index 23.8 (3.8) kg m−2. Quantitative thermo-tactile sensory testing was performed on forearm, upper arm and thigh under two experimental conditions: breathing air (air trial) and breathing normoxic mixture of 30% N2O (N2O trial) in the mixed sequence. Difference in thermo-tactile sensitivity thresholds between two groups of subjects in two experimental conditions was analysed by 3-way mixed-model analysis of covariance. There were no statistically significant differences in thermo-tactile thresholds either between the Air and N2O trials, or between S and NS groups, or between females and males, or with respect to body mass index. Some clinically insignificant lowering of thermo-tactile thresholds occurred only for warm thermo-tactile thresholds on upper arm and thigh. The results indicated that normoxic mixture of 30% N2O had no influence on thermo-tactile sensation in normothermia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Ljubljana , Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Miroljub Jakovljević

  2. University Rehabilitation Institute, Republic of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Gaj Vidmar

  3. Institute for Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Gaj Vidmar

  4. Department of Automation, Biocybernetics and Robotics, Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Igor B. Mekjavic

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  1. Miroljub Jakovljević
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  2. Gaj Vidmar
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  3. Igor B. Mekjavic
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Correspondence to Miroljub Jakovljević.

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Communicated by Dag Linnarsson.

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Jakovljević, M., Vidmar, G. & Mekjavic, I.B. Inert gas narcosis has no influence on thermo-tactile sensation. Eur J Appl Physiol 112, 1929–1935 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-2169-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-2169-8

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