title: Failure to demonstrate effect of trace concentrations of nitrous oxide and halothane on psychomotor performance.
abstract: Progressive visual reaction times were measured before and after exposure of 10 subjects (anaesthetics or anaesthetic technicians) to either halothane 100-150 p.p.m. in air or air alone. There were no significant differences between the control and test situations. In a subsequent study of 15 psychology students using an audiovisual reaction time test, a tachistoscope and the Wechsler memory scale, there was no significant difference in the subjects' responses when breathing either air or a mixture of halothane 15 p.p.m. and nitrous oxide 500 p.p.m. in air (range: halothane 10.3-16.0 p.p.m., nitrous oxide 485-700 p.p.m.).
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation; D005260:Female; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D006221:Halothane