Hypercapnia: Cognitive Effects and Monitoring

Hypercapnia: Cognitive Effects and Monitoring

The investigators will simulate the conditions of a working, helmeted diver by using exercising, "head out" immersed subjects to test the following hypotheses:

1. An algorithm can be developed which predicts cognitive performance in immersed exercising divers, based on the exhaled carbon dioxide (PETCO2) and the diver's inspired partial pressures of oxygen and nitrogen (PIO2 and PIN2).
2. PETCO2 using mass spectrometry is an accurate estimate of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) at rest and during immersed exercise and can be used as a PaCO2 surrogate at levels exceeding 50 mmHg and depths up to 158 fsw (gas density 6.4 g/l, similar to 165 fsw density of 6.8 g/l).

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy,
• male,
• age greater than 18,
• age less than 50

Exclusion Criteria:

• smoker,
• asthma,
• cardiac disease,
• inability to pedal a bicycle ergometer,
• inability to perform vigorous exercise