title: Effects of oxygen-enriched air on cognitive performance during SCUBA-diving - an open-water study.
abstract: Backround: Nitrogen narcosis impairs cognitive function, a fact relevant during SCUBA-diving. Oxygen-enriched air (nitrox) became popular in recreational diving, while evidence of its advantages over air is limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Compare effects of nitrox28 and air on two psychometric tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, double-blind, open-water study, 108 advanced divers (38 females) were randomized to an air or a nitrox-group for a 60-min dive to 24 m salt water. Breathing gas effects on cognitive performance were assessed during the dive using a short- and long-term memory test and a number connection test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nitrox28 divers made fewer mistakes only on the long-term memory test (p = 0.038). Female divers remembered more items than male divers (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the number connection test between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Likely owing to the comparatively low N2reduction and the conservative dive, beneficial nitrox28 effects to diver performance were moderate but could contribute to diving safety.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Ophthalmology , Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Augenklinik und Poliklinik , Würzburg , Germany.
authors.forename: Anne-Kathrin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Brebeck
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Physiology , Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden , Dresden , Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deussen
authors.affiliation: c Institute of Neurology , Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden , Dresden , Germany.
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmitz-Peiffer
authors.affiliation: d Institute of Medical Informatics and Biometrics , Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden , Dresden , Germany.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Range
authors.affiliation: e Haute Ecole Paul-Henri Spaak , Environmental & Occupational Physiology Laboratory , Brussels , Belgium.
authors.forename: Costantino
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balestra
authors.affiliation: f Institute of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology , Heinrich Heine Universität Düsseldorf , Düsseldorf , Germany.
authors.forename: Sinclair
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cleveland
authors.affiliation: g Research Group Experimental Surgery , Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf , Düsseldorf , Germany.
authors.forename: Jochen D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Schipke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition; D004242:Diving / Q000502:physiology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008875:Middle Aged; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000502:physiology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C041364:nitrox; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Cognitive performance; SCUBA-diving; alertness; memory; nitrox