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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Training Rats to Voluntarily Dive Underwater: Investigations of the Mammalian Diving Response

Training Rats to Voluntarily Dive Underwater: Investigations of the Mammalian Diving Response

Published on: November 12, 2014

Mammalian Diving Response in Humans: Inconsistently Beneficial for Survival.

John Hayman¹, Malcolm Dodd²

¹Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, AUS.

|June 8, 2026

Summary

The mammalian diving response (DR), a physiological reaction to cold water immersion, involves apnea and bradycardia. This response may explain various adverse health events, from infant deaths to vascular issues in divers.

Keywords:

aortic dissection arterial dissection cerebral haemorrhage essential hypertension immersion pulmonary oedema scuba diving sub-arachnoid hemorrhage sudden infant death syndrome (sids)sudden unexpected death in epilepsy triathalon competion

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Last Updated: Jun 9, 2026

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Area of Science:

Physiology
Cardiovascular Research
Comparative Biology

Background:

The mammalian diving response (DR) is an evolutionary adaptation for breath-holding during water immersion.
This physiological response, present in humans and other mammals, involves apnea, bradycardia, and altered circulation.
Components of the DR are implicated in various clinical events, including infant deaths and vascular pathologies.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the physiological mechanisms of the mammalian diving response (DR).
To investigate the potential role of the DR in adverse clinical events and long-term health outcomes.
To propose a unifying physiological explanation for disparate medical conditions linked to water immersion and breath-holding.

Main Methods:

The study reviews existing literature on the mammalian diving response (DR) and its physiological components.
It analyzes the potential contribution of DR elements (apnea, bradycardia, vasoconstriction) to clinical events.
The abstract suggests prospective monitoring and practice modifications for at-risk populations.

Main Results:

The DR includes apnea, bradycardia, peripheral/splanchnic vasoconstriction, and increased cardiac pressures.
The DR may contribute to infant deaths, seizures, immersion pulmonary edema, and vascular catastrophes in divers.
Persistent DR may predispose individuals to essential hypertension later in life.

Conclusions:

The DR offers a plausible physiological mechanism linking diverse adverse clinical events.
Further research and monitoring are needed to clarify the DR's role in health and disease.
Preventive strategies may be guided by understanding the DR's impact on at-risk individuals.