Abstract #2766

Mayhew S, Wise R, Rogers R, Dunckley P, Tracey I, Pattinson K

We investigated modulations of the BOLD response by mild hypoxia for brief visual, auditory and noxious thermal stimuli. These stimuli were combined with alternating 300-second periods of mild hypoxia (16% FiO2) and normoxia (21% FiO2) in 9 healthy human subjects at 3T. We observed a significant decrease in BOLD response in visual and auditory areas during hypoxia (p<0.05). No significant hypoxia-induced modulation of BOLD response was detected in a wide network of regions of the brain that respond to painful stimulation. Our observations suggest a regional dependence of the modulatory effect of mild hypoxia on the BOLD response.