The human dive reflex: An experimental, topographical and physiological analysis

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Abstract

This study examined the eliciting conditions, response topography and autonomic nervous system (ANS) control of the dive reflex as evoked in humans. Twenty-four subjects received eight trials in each of the three treatment conditions: breath holding without face immersion (BH); face immersion without breath holding (FI); and the “full dive” FIBH condition. It was the combination of both FI and BH in 23±0.5°C water that was necessary to elicit the dive reflex. A precise topographical analysis differentiated the FIBH condition from the FI and BH control conditions in terms of the emergence of a secondary component initiated approximately 12 seconds after trial onset. During this secondary component, augmentation of bradycardic (mean=16.3 bpm) and digital vasoconstrictive (mean=−24.9%) responses were maintained throughout the duration of the 40-second dive. A joint consideration of the heart rate and the T-wave amplitude measures as indices of the action of both branches of the ANS suggested that the dive reflex involves concurrent sympathetic and parasympathetic activation. A potential conditioning application of the dive reflex for countering paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia was discussed.

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    This research was supported by a, respectively, Postgraduate Scholarship to BEH and a Research Grant to JJF from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

    2

    Barry E. Hurwitz current address: Department of Psychology, University of Miami, P.O. Box 248185, Coral Gables, FL 33124.

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