Opposing effects of anesthetics on pressure tolerance and compression rate effect

Inert gas narcotics increase intrinsic pressure tolerance (1,000Pc) in CD-1 mice but interfere with development of the protective responses raising seizure thresholds during slower compression (e.g., 60Pc). This secondary narcotic effect can block up to 40% of the total attainable increase in Pc. The narcosis susceptible moiety of this compression rate effect develops early, whereas a narcosis resistant remnant accounts for increase in Pc occurring after 90 min of compression or pressure exposure. Pressure conditioning by multiday pressure exposure entails increases in both 60Pc and 1,000Pc and in virtual annullment of the compression rate effect. The effect can be completely blocked by narcotic gases in the conditioning atmosphere. In addition to blocking part of the compression rate effect the presence of narcotic gases under these conditions can reverse the effects of previously established pressure conditioning. 60Pc regresses much more slowly under these conditions than 1,000Pc. Either reversal rate is much more rapid in air at 1 ATA than at 80 ATA under 0.9 atm N2O. The implications of these data are discussed with regard to evaluation of the hypothesis of antagonism between inert gas narcotics and high pressures and to elaboration of the monoamine hypothesis to account for the modification of the compression rate effect by narcotic gases.