Posted by jr gordon on January 18, 2001 at 07:33:26:
In Reply to: Some Nitrox/Mixed Gas Partial Pressure Questions posted by mattschechter on January 17, 2001 at 20:39:26:
Hey Matt,
Great question! Nitrogen narcosis at increased partial pressures is thought to interefere with the transmission of nerve impulses within the central nervous system.
Oxygen toxicity is even more complicated and missunderstood. The effects on the central nervous system are 2-fold. There are the seizures known as CNS oxygen hits, and there is Pulmonary toxcity which refers to long term exposure to elevated PP0's. The causes involve how oxygen is metabolized in the blood stream and the effects of free radicals. It is too complicated for my limited knowledge base, I strongly recommend you pick up a copy of "The Physiology and Medicine of Diving" by Bennett and Elliot, 1982. It is the most comprehensive source of related materials.
JRG