Effects of Carbon Monoxide on Brain Cellular Metabolism In Monkeys

摘要

The toxicity of carbon monoxide has been extensively studied in many animal species and in man. The current interest is primarily concerned with air pollution and with establishing standards and controls for community and industrial atmospheric contamination. The effects of low level exposure to various air pollutants, including carbon monoxide, on the general population, i.e., people of all age groups in varying states of health and disease, are receiving wide attention. A study was undertaken to determine if continuous CO exposure would cause changes in brain tissue at the cellular and subcellular level in the absence of any overt clinical signs and to establish and measure any impairment in cellular respiration and high energy production. Relatively high concentrations of CO were used initially in an attempt to induce changes with succeeding exposures to be at lower concentrations. The two exposure concentrations of CO described in this paper were 220 mg/cu M and 440 mg/cu M in the atmosphere used for spacecraft; namely, 68% oxygen, 32% nitrogen at 5 psia. (Author)