Abstract
It has been well established that the inhalation of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) can induce in humans an emotion closely replicating spontaneous panic attacks, as defined by current psychiatry nosology. The purpose of this review is to provide a critical summary of the data regarding CO2’s psychopharmacological properties and underlying mechanisms. The authors review the literature on the human and animal response for the exposure of exogenous CO2 focusing on five points of interest: 1) the early history of the use of CO2 as an anesthetic and therapeutic agent, 2) the subjective effects of breathing CO2 at different concentrations in humans, 3) the use of CO2 in experimental psychiatric research as an experimental model of panic, 4) the pharmacological modulation of CO2-induced responses, and 5) the putative neurobiological mechanisms underlying the affective state induced by CO2. The authors conclude with an evolutionary-inspired notion that CO2 might act as an agent of a primal emotion serving a homeostatic function, in the control of respiration and acid-base balance.
Keywords: Carbon dioxide, panic disorder, anxiety, fear, primal emotion, CO2 challenge, respiration, human models
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title:On the Psychotropic Effects of Carbon Dioxide
Volume: 18 Issue: 35
Author(s): Alessandro Colasanti, Gabriel Esquivel, Koen J. Schruers and Eric J. Griez
Affiliation:
Keywords: Carbon dioxide, panic disorder, anxiety, fear, primal emotion, CO2 challenge, respiration, human models
Abstract: It has been well established that the inhalation of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) can induce in humans an emotion closely replicating spontaneous panic attacks, as defined by current psychiatry nosology. The purpose of this review is to provide a critical summary of the data regarding CO2’s psychopharmacological properties and underlying mechanisms. The authors review the literature on the human and animal response for the exposure of exogenous CO2 focusing on five points of interest: 1) the early history of the use of CO2 as an anesthetic and therapeutic agent, 2) the subjective effects of breathing CO2 at different concentrations in humans, 3) the use of CO2 in experimental psychiatric research as an experimental model of panic, 4) the pharmacological modulation of CO2-induced responses, and 5) the putative neurobiological mechanisms underlying the affective state induced by CO2. The authors conclude with an evolutionary-inspired notion that CO2 might act as an agent of a primal emotion serving a homeostatic function, in the control of respiration and acid-base balance.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Colasanti Alessandro, Esquivel Gabriel, J. Schruers Koen and J. Griez Eric, On the Psychotropic Effects of Carbon Dioxide, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2012; 18 (35) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161212803530745
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161212803530745 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Study of Oxidized Lipids as Endogenous Substrates of P-gp (ABCB1)
Drug Metabolism Letters Targeting PPARalpha in Alzheimer's Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Neuroprotective Strategies in Glaucoma
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Secretin/Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide/ Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide Superfamily in the Central Nervous System
Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry The Anti-Atherogenic Effects of Thiazolidinediones
Current Diabetes Reviews Advances in Adjuvant Therapy Against Acute Bacterial Meningitis
Current Drug Targets - Infectious Disorders Could Resveratrol be a Useful Drug for the Treatment of Malignant Hemopathies?
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery Prevention of Ischemic Stroke: Antithrombotic Therapy in Cardiac Embolism
Current Drug Targets Association between ALDH2 Gene Polymorphism and Late-onset Alzheimer Disease: An Up-to-date Meta-analysis
Current Alzheimer Research The BET-Bromodomain Inhibitor JQ1 Reduces Inflammation and Tau Phosphorylation at Ser396 in the Brain of the 3xTg Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Experimental Fracture Protocols in Assessments of Potential Agents for Osteoporotic Fracture Healing Using Rodent Models
Current Drug Targets Microglial Activation in Alzheimers Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Changes in the Expression of the Alzheimers Disease-Associated Presenilin Gene in Drosophila Heart Leads to Cardiac Dysfunction
Current Alzheimer Research Paying Attention to Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Mechanisms to Progress in the Area of Anticholinergic Use in Geriatric Patients
Current Drug Metabolism The Neuroprotective Role of Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Medicinal Chemistry Antipsychotic Drugs and Cerebrovascular Events in Elderly Patients with Dementia: A Systematic Review
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Prion Protein Functions and Dysfunction in Prion Diseases
Current Medicinal Chemistry Ajmalicine and its Analogues Against AChE and BuChE for the Management of Alzheimer’s Disease: An <i>In-silico</i> Study
Current Pharmaceutical Design Nitric Oxide’s Involvement in the Spectrum of Psychotic Disorders
Current Medicinal Chemistry Molecular Mechanisms of Ischemic Neuronal Cell Death - With Relevance to Alzheimers Disease
Current Alzheimer Research