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So then, is it really the CO2 that produces the cognitive impairment, or is the CO2 here just the proxy value that we are measuring, and the real reason for the
by leobg 9mo ago
So then, is it really the CO2 that produces the cognitive impairment, or is the CO2 here just the proxy value that we are measuring, and the real reason for the cognitive impairment is low oxygen?
- deleted 9mo ago[deleted]
- xboxnolifes 9mo agoIf the amount of CO2 is basically a rounding error, so too would be the reduction in oxygen.
- kzrdude 9mo agoYou could climb a mountain to test your hypothesis, keeping an eye on partial pressure of O2
- loeg 9mo agoWe have a natural experiment. People in Denver aren't especially stupid.
- rdruxn 9mo agoIt’s also the metabolic changes in pH. CO2 is a proxy for ph as carbon dioxide acidifies the blood as it dissolves.
- nradov 9mo agoNitrogen also causes cognitive impairment. It is essentially a very weak anesthetic. If you can replace all of the nitrogen in your breathing gas with helium then you'll probably gain the equivalent of a couple IQ points (although obviously that isn't generally practical).
- ndsipa_pomu 9mo agoNitrogen narcosis is especially relevant to divers. Recreational SCUBA diving is usually limited to around 30m depth and some divers will start noticing effects (basically like getting drunk) near that depth when using air in the tanks. This is why different mixtures (e.g. trimix) are used at increased depths, though there are other important effects of breathing air at pressure such as oxygen toxicity.