![]() The diver may also experience a euphoric or stimulating feeling initially similar to mild alcohol intoxication. ![]() ![]() The symptoms seen in nitrogen narcosis begin first with effects of the higher function such as judgment, reasoning, short-term memory, and concentration. The narcotic symptoms observed are quickly reversible upon ascent. The effects are not progressive with time while depth is maintained, but symptoms progress and new symptoms develop as a diver descends deeper to greater pressures. The effects of nitrogen narcosis are highly variable among divers with all divers being significantly impaired while breathing air at 60 to 70 meters, whereas some divers are affected at 30 meters. ![]() This is often thought to be the cell membrane, causing that portion of the cell to swell to a certain volume, impairing its function for that specific cell type. They also stated that "all gaseous and volatile substances induce narcosis if they penetrate cell lipids in a definite molar concentration which is characteristic for each type of cell." This theory was expanded by applying the "critical volume" concept which states that narcosis occurs when the inert gas or anesthetic changes a lipid portion of the cell. The lipid solubility hypothesis by Meyer and Overton noted that there is a correlation between the solubility of an anesthetic in lipid and its narcotic power. ![]() The effect of nitrogen on the body takes place in the central nervous system (CNS), but the exact site and mechanism are still debated. The nitrogen atoms inhaled in the compressed air while at pressure remain chemically unchanged in the blood, leading to the belief that there is a physical component to the involvement of nitrogen in causing narcosis. Breathing compressed air while at atmospheric pressures greater than 1 ATM increases the partial pressures of nitrogen and oxygen, in the blood. ![]()
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