Original Paper

Magnetic Resonance Signal Abnormalities and Neuropsychological Deficits in Elderly Compressed-Air Divers
Kay Tetzlaff^a,b, Lars Friege^c, Alfred Hutzelmann^d, Michael Reuter^d, Doris Höll^c, Bernd Leplow<sup>c

a</sup>German Naval Medical Institute, Kronshagen,
^bDepartment of Medicine I,
^cInstitute for Psychology and
^dDepartment of Diagnostic Radiology, Christian Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany

Address of Corresponding Author

Eur Neurol 1999;42:194-199 (DOI: 10.1159/000008106)

  Key Words

• Diving
• Magnetic resonance imaging
• Brain lesions
• Psychometric testing
• Cognition
• Memory

  Abstract

We investigated the association between MR signal abnormalities of the central nervous system, neuropsychologic performance and exposure indices in 20 experienced elderly compressed-air divers who had no history of neurological decompression illness (DCI). Results of MRI of the brain and psychometric testing were compared with 20 matched healthy commercial employees who never dived: 60% of the divers and 45% of the controls had hyperintense MR abnormalities. Among divers, both the number and the size of abnormalities correlated with hours diving in the deep air-diving range of 40-60 m (p < 0.05). Divers' mental flexibility and visual tracking performance were decreased in comparison with controls (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01). Divers thus are at risk of detrimental long-term effects of compressed-air diving on the central nervous system even in the absence of a history of neurological DCI.

Copyright © 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Kay Tetzlaff
Schiffahrtmedizinisches Institut der Marine
Kopperpahler Allee 120
D-24119 Kronshagen (Germany)
Tel. +49 431 54090, Fax +49 431 54091778, E-Mail kaytetz@rd.comcity.de

  Article Information

Received: Received: January 21, 1999
Accepted: May 28, 1999
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 4, Number of References : 28