Accession Number:

AD0744552

Title:

Effects of Increased Ambient Air Pressures on Standing Steadiness in Man

Descriptive Note:

Final rept.

Corporate Author:

NAVY EXPERIMENTAL DIVING UNIT PANAMA CITY FL

Personal Author(s):

• Adolfson, J. A.
• Goldberg, L.
• Berghage, T.

Report Date:

1972-01-01

Pagination or Media Count:

9.0

Abstract:

The effects of increased ambient air pressures on standing steadiness at 2.2 ATA, 4 ATA, 7 ATA and 19 ATA, as compared with results obtained in two control situations at ambient air pressure 1 ATA, were studied in 10 experimenced divers. The results indicated that 1 there is a strong quadratic relationship between balance and depth, 2 deterioration in balance increases at a much faster rate for the eyes closed condition than for the eyes open condition as depth is increased, 3 there are highly significant individual differences, 4 the performance at depth is related to the performance at the surface, 5 there seems to be no habituation or other adaptation to the test device and 6 there seem to be no essential after-effects to the exposure to increased ambient air pressure under the present conditions. It was concluded that the postural disturbances at increased ambient air pressure might be related to the effect of the breathing medium on the central nervous system as one symptom of nitrogen narcosis in man.

Descriptors:

• *NAVAL PERSONNEL
• *RESPONSE(BIOLOGY)
• *DIVING
• PERFORMANCE(HUMAN)
• SENSES(PHYSIOLOGY)
• PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY
• POSTURE(PHYSIOLOGY)
• VESTIBULAR APPARATUS
• CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
• NITROGEN
• PRESSURE

Subject Categories:

• Stress Physiology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE