Sodium, Potassium and Glutamate Content of Guinea Pig Brain Following Exposure to Oxygen at High Pressure

¹ From the Naval Medical Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland

Intact animals exposed to 6.6 atm. absolute of oxygen showed a significant increase in brain sodium although the potassium content remained unchanged. There was also no change in glutamate content after exposure to OHP. The experiments seem to provide additional evidence that changes in brain electrolyte content or ‘binding’ are significant in the chain of events leading to increased brain excitability after exposure to OHP.