Editing Nitrogen narcosis (section)

== Classification ==
Narcosis results from breathing gases under elevated pressure, and may be classified by the principal gas involved. The [[noble gas]]es, except [[helium]] and probably [[neon]],{{sfnp|Bennett|Rostain|2003|p=305}} as well as [[nitrogen]], [[oxygen]] and [[hydrogen]] cause a decrement in [[mental function]], but their effect on [[Psychomotor retardation|psychomotor]] function (processes affecting the coordination of sensory or cognitive processes and motor activity) varies widely. The effect of [[carbon dioxide]] is a consistent diminution of mental and psychomotor function.{{r |Hesser1978}} The noble gases [[argon]], [[krypton]], and [[xenon]] are more narcotic than nitrogen at a given pressure, and xenon has so much [[anesthetic]] activity that it is a usable anesthetic at 80% concentration and normal atmospheric pressure. Xenon has historically been too expensive to be used very much in practice, but it has been successfully used for surgical operations, and xenon anesthesia systems are still being proposed and designed.{{r |Burov1999}}