title: The effects of nitrous oxide on P300 and reaction time.
abstract: This experiment investigated the effects of 3 concentrations (15%, 25% and 35%) of nitrous oxide (N2O) on reaction time (RT) and P300 latency and amplitude. Ten subjects responded to visually presented male or female names in an oddball paradigm with accuracy controlled at a high level. The results were analysed on a single-trial basis. Nitrous oxide increased both RT and P300 latency in a dose-related manner and these variables showed a strong between-dose correlation (r = 0.67). Nitrous oxide also decreased P300 amplitude but only up to the 25% dose. The between-dose correlation for P300 amplitude and RT was negligible (r = -0.14). These results suggest that P300 latency is an index of N2O narcosis and are interpreted as indicating that narcosis involves the slowing of stimulus evaluation processes.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D009609:Nitrous Oxide