Evaluation of Divers’ Neuropsychometric Effectiveness and High-Pressure Neurological Syndrome via Computerized Test Battery Package and Questionnaires in Operational Setting
Introduction: When divers are compressed to water depths deeper than 150 meter sea water (msw), symptoms of high-pressure neurological syndrome (HPNS) might appear due to rapid increase in pressure on the central nervous system during compression. The aim of this study was to first operate a new com...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2019.01386/full |
| _version_ | 1818450077020061696 |
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| author | Simin Berenji Ardestani Simin Berenji Ardestani Costantino Balestra Costantino Balestra Elena V. Bouzinova Øyvind Loennechen Michael Pedersen |
| author_facet | Simin Berenji Ardestani Simin Berenji Ardestani Costantino Balestra Costantino Balestra Elena V. Bouzinova Øyvind Loennechen Michael Pedersen |
| author_sort | Simin Berenji Ardestani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: When divers are compressed to water depths deeper than 150 meter sea water (msw), symptoms of high-pressure neurological syndrome (HPNS) might appear due to rapid increase in pressure on the central nervous system during compression. The aim of this study was to first operate a new computerized tool, designed to monitor divers’ wellbeing and cognitive function, and to record the results. The second aim was to evaluate the feasibility and validity of the Physiopad software and HPNS questionnaires as a new tool for monitoring divers wellbeing in an operational setting, including sensible visualization and presentation of results.Methods: The Physiopad was operated onboard Deep Arctic (TechnipFMC Diving Support Vessel). The diving work was performed between 180 and 207 msw. The data from 46 divers were collected from the HPNS questionnaires, Hand dynamometry test, Critical Flicker Fusion Frequency test (CFFF), Adaptive Visual Analog Scale (AVAS), Simple Math Process (MathProc test), Perceptual Vigilance Task (PVT), and Time Estimation Task (time-wall).Result: Diver’s subjective evaluation revealed different symptoms, possibly also HPNS related, which lasted from 1 to 5 days in storage, with the common duration being 1 day. The results from Physiopad battery testing showed no signs of significant neurological alteration.Conclusion: The present study showed that there was no association between subjective measurements of HPNS and neuropsychometric test results. We also confirmed the feasibility of using the computerized test battery to monitor saturation divers at work. The HPNS battery and Physiopad software could be an important tool for monitoring diver’s health in the future. This tool was not used during the Bahr Essalam project to operationally evaluate any HPNS effect on divers as data analysis was performed post-project. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T20:45:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-563c4d59a36544d8b311f885c8202172 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T20:45:34Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-563c4d59a36544d8b311f885c82021722022-12-21T22:48:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2019-11-011010.3389/fphys.2019.01386479570Evaluation of Divers’ Neuropsychometric Effectiveness and High-Pressure Neurological Syndrome via Computerized Test Battery Package and Questionnaires in Operational SettingSimin Berenji Ardestani0Simin Berenji Ardestani1Costantino Balestra2Costantino Balestra3Elena V. Bouzinova4Øyvind Loennechen5Michael Pedersen6Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, DenmarkDepartment of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NorwayDivers Alert Network Europe - Research Division, Roseto, ItalyEnvironmental, Occupational, Ageing (Integrative) Physiology Laboratory, Haute Ecole Bruxelles-Brabant (HE2B), Brussels, BelgiumDepartment of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, DenmarkTechnipFMC, Stavanger, NorwayDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, DenmarkIntroduction: When divers are compressed to water depths deeper than 150 meter sea water (msw), symptoms of high-pressure neurological syndrome (HPNS) might appear due to rapid increase in pressure on the central nervous system during compression. The aim of this study was to first operate a new computerized tool, designed to monitor divers’ wellbeing and cognitive function, and to record the results. The second aim was to evaluate the feasibility and validity of the Physiopad software and HPNS questionnaires as a new tool for monitoring divers wellbeing in an operational setting, including sensible visualization and presentation of results.Methods: The Physiopad was operated onboard Deep Arctic (TechnipFMC Diving Support Vessel). The diving work was performed between 180 and 207 msw. The data from 46 divers were collected from the HPNS questionnaires, Hand dynamometry test, Critical Flicker Fusion Frequency test (CFFF), Adaptive Visual Analog Scale (AVAS), Simple Math Process (MathProc test), Perceptual Vigilance Task (PVT), and Time Estimation Task (time-wall).Result: Diver’s subjective evaluation revealed different symptoms, possibly also HPNS related, which lasted from 1 to 5 days in storage, with the common duration being 1 day. The results from Physiopad battery testing showed no signs of significant neurological alteration.Conclusion: The present study showed that there was no association between subjective measurements of HPNS and neuropsychometric test results. We also confirmed the feasibility of using the computerized test battery to monitor saturation divers at work. The HPNS battery and Physiopad software could be an important tool for monitoring diver’s health in the future. This tool was not used during the Bahr Essalam project to operationally evaluate any HPNS effect on divers as data analysis was performed post-project.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2019.01386/fullhigh-pressure neurological syndromesaturation divingcentral nervous systemneuropsychologyarousal |
| spellingShingle | Simin Berenji Ardestani Simin Berenji Ardestani Costantino Balestra Costantino Balestra Elena V. Bouzinova Øyvind Loennechen Michael Pedersen Evaluation of Divers’ Neuropsychometric Effectiveness and High-Pressure Neurological Syndrome via Computerized Test Battery Package and Questionnaires in Operational Setting Frontiers in Physiology high-pressure neurological syndrome saturation diving central nervous system neuropsychology arousal |
| title | Evaluation of Divers’ Neuropsychometric Effectiveness and High-Pressure Neurological Syndrome via Computerized Test Battery Package and Questionnaires in Operational Setting |
| title_full | Evaluation of Divers’ Neuropsychometric Effectiveness and High-Pressure Neurological Syndrome via Computerized Test Battery Package and Questionnaires in Operational Setting |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of Divers’ Neuropsychometric Effectiveness and High-Pressure Neurological Syndrome via Computerized Test Battery Package and Questionnaires in Operational Setting |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of Divers’ Neuropsychometric Effectiveness and High-Pressure Neurological Syndrome via Computerized Test Battery Package and Questionnaires in Operational Setting |
| title_short | Evaluation of Divers’ Neuropsychometric Effectiveness and High-Pressure Neurological Syndrome via Computerized Test Battery Package and Questionnaires in Operational Setting |
| title_sort | evaluation of divers neuropsychometric effectiveness and high pressure neurological syndrome via computerized test battery package and questionnaires in operational setting |
| topic | high-pressure neurological syndrome saturation diving central nervous system neuropsychology arousal |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2019.01386/full |
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