Nitrous Oxide & Cerebral Autoregulation

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Nitrous Oxide & Cerebral Autoregulation

• IRAS ID

  2194

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Nottingham

• Eudract number

  2008-004669-24

• ISRCTN Number

  n/a

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  n/a

• Research summary

  Our previous work has demonstrated that inhaling low doses of the anaesthetic gas nitrous oxide (laughing gas) causes blood flow within the brain circulation to increase, by increasing the calibre of blood vessels. This effect may be useful in injured brains, when delivery of oxygen and essential nutrients to brain tissue falls, because damaged blood vessels constrict and blood flow through them is reduced. Normally, blood vessels in the brain are automatically able to regulate their own size, ensuring a constant flow of blood to brain tissue, despite changes in blood pressure. This is a protective effect, known as auto-regulation. Previous work has shown that inhaling concentrations of nitrous oxide greater than 50% can switch off this reflex. We intend to investigate whether inhaling low dose (less than 50%) nitrous oxide has the same effect. We intend to find the concentration of inhaled nitrous oxide at which the beneficial effect of increasing blood flow through vessels occurs without the loss of the protective mechanism of auto-regulation.

• REC name

  East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  08/H0406/193

• Date of REC Opinion

  2 Jan 2009

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion