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OK, as usual, we agree. Even though functionally the spinal cord is very similar to the brain, the blood flow and physical density is different. Its a little hard to explain if you haven't seen it "live", but the brain has a lot of blood flow and is the consistency of Jello whereas the spinal cord is tougher and more rope like with fewer blood vessels. It is more tightly packed with neurons. This difference (somehow) has a direct bearing on the circumstances of decompression injury in the brain versus the spinal cord or the joints. On the other hand, the brain is more likely to be injured from high blood pressure, smoking, and high cholesterol than the spinal cord. As you know, many people think that most "neurological" bends occurs in the spinal cord whereas the brain is more likely to be injured from PGE. It is very clear to me that the brain can sustain a number of small lesions (what we call "lacunes") without any symptoms, whereas if the spinal cord gets even the tiniest of injuries, symptoms occur right away. Enough cyberdiving. Its the weekend, time to get wet!! Wendell Trey wrote: > > You know what? I was thinking of spinal lesions, not brain - you are right > on the money as to the fact that the brain gets all of the other abuse as > well and it is hidden. In the studies I am referring to, the subjects spinal > scans looked the same as an MS patient, and I assume that would do the same > to the brain if it could be separated from the rest of the insults to it. > > -----Original Message----- > From: wendell grogan [mailto:docgrog@ya*.de*] > Sent: Friday, April 20, 2001 4:38 PM > To: Trey; Wendell Grogan; techdiver@aquanaut.com > Subject: RE: brain damage and divers > > --- Trey <trey@ne*.co*> schrieb: > Wendell, this > contrast sharply with studies that > > include "commercial" air > > divers who went to 200 feet. The other demarcation > > is bottom times - the > > long 100 foot working dives and any of the 200 range > > produced lesions. > > Well, yes and no. There have been a number of studies > that look at divers and spots in the brain. However, > this one, for all its limitations, was well controlled > for age, BMI, and bad habits, and included both > military and commercial divers, including some > commercial saturation divers. > The real conclusion that can be drawn from the data is > that elderly- ie older than 40- divers have funny > little spots in their brain on MRI, but at no greater > a rate than old farts with the same eating, drinking, > and smoking habits. > Bottom line, you want to not get brain damage, don't > get fat, smoke, or drink too much. Diving doesn't > seem to factor in. > BIG note: I think that the diving profiles you're > talking about may be getting people into trouble in > terms of cumulative brain injury because of the habit > of decompressing people in water up to 15 meters, > running them up to the surface, then throwing them > into the chamber and recompressing them before they > get clinical bends. I just can't see how that doesn't > cause problems over time. > Wendell G > > __________________________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Gesendet von Yahoo! Mail - http://mail.yahoo.de -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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