For example if they hold their breath, would they still get the urge to breathe as a result of the excess carbon dioxide in their blood as a result of holding their breath? Dr. Reubens proclaims that the ears are very important for breathing, and are responsible for this reflex. In particular, deaf people with damaged inner ears - and hence no balance, etc.

Hypercapnia - no mention of ears, deafness, or reuben.

 

In a first trawl I find more connexions of hypocapnia with causing deafness than with deafness causing a failure of a very very low level reflex. I mean seriously - do you not think this would be a huge thing if deaf people were dying in their sleep due to a failure of the breathing reflex.

It was Dr. Reubens who is postulating this theory (inner ear damage) as a cause of SIDS - it is not my theory, I personally do not believe his theory but I am open to opinions and discussion concerning his theory and experiment.

Edited April 21, 201510 yr by LisaLiel

With respect WTF is Dr Reubens?

It was Dr. Reubens who is postulating this theory (inner ear damage) as a cause of SIDS - it is not my theory, I personally do not believe his theory but I am open to opinions and discussion concerning his theory and experiment.

We covered this in your last thread.

He is a doctor who thinks he's made a breakthrough about the cause of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). He believes that damage to the inner ear means that the infants have difficulty breathing, and die in their sleep because the inner ear is responsible for detecting carbon dioxide in the blood and in the air, so they do not wake up when they are having problems breathing.

 

In short, Dr. Reubens is implying that the reflex to breathe you get when you hold your breath, is due to your ears. Not your brain.

Edited April 21, 201510 yr by LisaLiel

Found the article http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2011/01/inner-ear-damge-linked-to-breathing-difficulty-in-mammals/1#.VTZiPvBtH7R

 

Well the exact cause of SIDS has been largely unknown. If Dr Rubens believes he has found the cause then that is great but it has to be backed up by a large amount of evidence from multiple sources.

Edited April 21, 201510 yr by fiveworlds

I've known several deaf people. Some of them were quite advanced in age, so I'm going to go out on a limb and say no, there's no causation here.

 

Based on my layuman's understanding of the issue, I'd be more inclined to look at physical issues, such as an infant's inability to adequately move their head to increase their oxygen flow adequately than I would at the inner ear issues.

Edited April 21, 201510 yr by Greg H.

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Moderator Note

LisaLiel, this topic was dealt with. Do not reopen it.