Recently I've been toying around with nitrous oxide and have noticed something interesting. I can't seem to find much on the impact of nitrous oxide on the perception of sound in literature, and I was hoping someone may be able to shed some light.
Anyone familiar with N2O has experienced the "wah-wah" throbbing drone, which slowly tapers off as the effects subside. I've discovered, for myself at least, this effect is modulated by the frequency of sound heard. Particularly, higher pitched noises become much more perceptible beyond the "wah-wah" throbbing tonality.
An example is that of wind rustling through the leaves of a tree becoming much more perceptible. I live in a 2-story condo, and the sound of wind through the trees parallels the sound of a car passing by. What is interesting most of all, is that the threshold for perceptibility is dramatically increased. What I mean is, the "wah-wah" sound will match the onset of the sound of the wind at a higher frequency of which I normally am not as consciously aware of.
To put it simply, it is as if my ability to hear higher frequency tones is enhanced.
Conversely, lower frequency tones are unaffected (eg, a bathtub filling in an adjacent room).
Is there any known explanation for the auditory impact of nitrous oxide inebriation?
P.S. For what it is worth, I keep a canister of aviators breathing oxygen (95%) on hand and balance my inhalation of nitrous with relatively pure oxygen.
Anyone familiar with N2O has experienced the "wah-wah" throbbing drone, which slowly tapers off as the effects subside. I've discovered, for myself at least, this effect is modulated by the frequency of sound heard. Particularly, higher pitched noises become much more perceptible beyond the "wah-wah" throbbing tonality.
An example is that of wind rustling through the leaves of a tree becoming much more perceptible. I live in a 2-story condo, and the sound of wind through the trees parallels the sound of a car passing by. What is interesting most of all, is that the threshold for perceptibility is dramatically increased. What I mean is, the "wah-wah" sound will match the onset of the sound of the wind at a higher frequency of which I normally am not as consciously aware of.
To put it simply, it is as if my ability to hear higher frequency tones is enhanced.
Conversely, lower frequency tones are unaffected (eg, a bathtub filling in an adjacent room).
Is there any known explanation for the auditory impact of nitrous oxide inebriation?
P.S. For what it is worth, I keep a canister of aviators breathing oxygen (95%) on hand and balance my inhalation of nitrous with relatively pure oxygen.