title: Tracking EEG changes during the exposure to hyperbaric oxygen.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to investigate and define possible alterations in cerebral activity during prolonged hyperbaric oxygen exposure and decompression as compared to baseline activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two channel electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded with a Bluetooth EEG system in 11 subjects. A 20-min EEG recording was carried out under three different conditions: breathing air inside a hyperbaric chamber at sea level; breathing oxygen at a simulated depth of 18 msw; breathing air at sea level after decompression. Relative EEG power was estimated in frequency ranges.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During oxygen breathing, brain activity showed an early fast delta decrease in the posterior regions, with a synchronous and significant increase in alpha in the same regions. After decompression, the delta relative power decrease was uniformly distributed over the cerebral cortex until minute 8, and the alpha relative power was maximal in the posterior regions during the first 2 min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results may be relevant for establishing a reference point in future studies on oxygen-sensitive subjects who reported problems during oxygen diving.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant changes in EEG relative power suggest that it may be possible to define and recognize landmarks of oxygen-induced brain activity, which would be useful in the medical treatment of subjects reporting "oxygen-toxicity diving-related problems".
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Rome, La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pastena
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, Foundation IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Formaggio
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. Electronic address: silviafrancesca.storti@univr.it.
authors.forename: Silvia Francesca
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Storti
authors.affiliation: Italian Navy Medical Service Comsubin Varignano, Le Grazie, La Spezia, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Faralli
authors.affiliation: Italian Navy Medical Service Comsubin Varignano, Le Grazie, La Spezia, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melucci
authors.affiliation: Italian Navy Medical Service Comsubin Varignano, Le Grazie, La Spezia, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gagliardi
authors.affiliation: Italian Navy Medical Service Comsubin Varignano, Le Grazie, La Spezia, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.affiliation: Italian Navy Medical Service Comsubin Varignano, Le Grazie, La Spezia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruffino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D004242:Diving / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Brain activity; EEG brain mapping; EEG frequency analysis; Oxygen toxicity