IUBio

Braindamage due to lack of oxygen.

dag.stenberg at helsinki.nospam.fi dag.stenberg at helsinki.nospam.fi
Mon Mar 29 01:48:03 EST 1999


F. Frank LeFever <flefever at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> What some people inhale for recreational purposes is, I believe, NO2
> (not N2O), i.e. nitrous oxide.  I believe there has been some evidence
> published that suggestts long-term abuse of this gas may cause brain
> damage.  I believe tthe interpretation has been that this is due to
> hypoxia, but it occurs to me that the (as yet little studied) possible
> consequence of increased brain levels of NO (nitric oxide) might also
> play a role...

Actually N2O, not NO2. It is necessary to mix at least 15% oxygen with this,
as hypoxia will otherwise occur. Of course, a short sniff of pure N2O will
not create severe hypoxia, and as long as someone takes the pure N2O away
in time, there should not be any brain damage. Possible (individual) 
euphoric effects do not require simultaneous hypoxia.

Dag Stenberg




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