title: Long term effects of recreational SCUBA diving on higher cognitive function.
abstract: We investigated long-term effects of SCUBA diving on cognitive function using a battery of neuropsychometric tests: the Simple Reaction Time (REA), Symbol Digit Substitution (SDS), Digit Span Backwards (DSB), and Hand-Eye Coordination tests (EYE). A group (n = 44) of experienced SCUBA divers with no history of decompression sickness was compared to non-diving control subjects (n = 37), as well as to professional boxers (n = 24), who are considered at higher risk of long term neurological damage. The REA was significantly shorter in SCUBA divers compared to the control subjects, and also more stable over the time course of the test. In contrast, the number of digits correctly memorized and reordered (DSB) was significantly lower for SCUBA divers compared to the control group. The results also showed that boxers performed significantly worse than the control group in three out of four tests (REA, DSB, EYE). While it may be concluded that accident-free SCUBA diving may have some long-term adverse effects on short-term memory, there is however, no evidence of general higher cognitive function deficiency.
authors.affiliation: DAN Europe Research Division, Military Hospital Queen Astrid, Brussels, Belgium; Center for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Military Hospital Queen Astrid, Brussels, Belgium; Environmental and Occupational Physiology Department, Haute Ecole Paul Henri Spaak, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hemelryck
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Germonpré
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papadopoulou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rozloznik
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balestra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001914:Boxing / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition; D004242:Diving / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D000091402:Prohibitins; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: CNS; Central Nervous System; adverse effects; boxing; injury; memory; neuropsychology; physiology