Inhalation of 7.5% carbon dioxide increases alerting and orienting attention network function

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Psychophysiology
• Anxiety Research

Background:

• Translational models are needed to understand fear and anxiety mechanisms.
• Carbon dioxide (CO(2)) inhalation increases anxiety and arousal in humans and animals.
• CO(2) effects on broader cognitive processes beyond threat attention are unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of 7.5% CO(2) inhalation on attention networks involved in anxiety.
• Specifically examining alerting, orienting, and executive control attention networks.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-three healthy participants completed the Attention Network Test (ANT) under CO(2) and air inhalation.
• Gas administration was blinded and counterbalanced.
• Physiological (heart rate, blood pressure) and subjective mood/anxiety measures were collected.

Main Results:

• CO(2) inhalation significantly increased anxiety, autonomic arousal, and the efficiency of alerting and orienting attention networks.
• Autonomic response to CO(2) correlated with enhanced orienting.
• CO(2)-induced effects were more pronounced in individuals with higher trait anxiety.

Conclusions:

• CO(2) inhalation modulates attention mechanisms crucial for detecting salient stimuli in time and space.
• Findings align with CO(2) triggering fear behaviors via neural networks promoting hypervigilance.
• This research provides a link between CO(2)-induced anxiety and attention network function.