title: Use of nitrous oxide to dissociate the non-specific and specific components of the human auditory N1.
abstract: The components of the N1 are thought to be related to sensory functioning (Components 1 and 2) and arousal (Component 3). To provide direct evidence for the involvement of Component 3 in arousal, we hypothesized that it should be more sensitive to the anesthetic gas nitrous oxide (N2O) than Component 1. Using the technique of selective adaptation, 30 blocks of 5 tones were presented at 1 min intervals to 9 subjects who breathed air, 25% and 35% N2O. As hypothesized, the amplitude of Component 3 was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner by N2O, but the amplitude of Component 1 was not, although the latter showed some evidence of a decrease at 25% N2O.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, York University, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fowler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D009609:Nitrous Oxide