title: Interaction of hyperbaric nitrogen and oxygen effects on behavior.
abstract: Breathing elevated environmental pressures of nitrogen and oxygen produced changes in behavior of rats that evidenced an interaction between the two gases. Rates of responding generated by a fixed-interval schedule of reinforcement systematically changed as partial pressures of nitrogen were elevated from 0.8 to 10.4 ATA. Response rates increased above baseline followed by a decline in rates as a function of increasing nitrogen pressure. Concurrent increases in partial pressures of oxygen from 0.2 to 2.2 ATA potentiated the rate-increasing effects of nitrogen at low to moderate nitrogen pressures and enhanced rate-decreasing effects at higher nitrogen pressures. Raised oxygen pressures modulated and interacted with the narcotic effects of nitrogen on behavior.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001944:Breath Tests; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen