Central nervous dysfunctions after near-miss accidents in diving

The possible differences in specific central nervous system functions in 2 groups of divers were studied: Divers with a history of diving accidents (accident group, N = 9) and accident-free divers (non-accident group, N = 15). Both groups were characterized with a mean I.Q. level (WAIS) within the normal range. Of the nine accident group divers, 8 showed abnormalities on neuropsychological tests implicating lesions on higher CNS levels. In addition, five of the accident group divers had a syndrome of subcortical/limbic dysfunctions--specific memory deficits, low autonomic reactivity, sustained attention problems, and emotional lability. The data confirmed previous findings that a severe diving accident may lead to cerebral dysfunctions. However, in contrast to the previous studies, our study indicated that divers with average intellectual levels can develop specific CNS dysfunctions after a near miss diving accident. Therefore, we conclude that a combined effect of emboli with multifocal lesions and/or a more specific effect on limbic structures represent the pathophysiology of a severe near-miss diving accident.