Acute experimental exposure to noise and hormonal modifications

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse, in healthy volunteers exposed to noise of high intensity, any changes in certain hormonal parameters that might be related to psychological and behavioural effects. The parameters studied were cortisol (CORT), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEA-S), prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), insulin (IRI). Some subjective spontaneously expressed parameters, such as feeling cold, feeling sleepy, being bothered by noise and feeling uneasy, feeling nausea, were also taken into consideration. A significant reduction of cortisol compared to the base values was noted both during exposure to noise and at the end of the stimulus. The DHEA-S values increased compared to the base values during administration of the noise and after exposure had finished. After the end of the noise stimulus, prolactin showed a reduction compared to pre-and post-exposure values. Compared to the basic values, GH diminished both during and after exposure to noise. Insulinaemia showed a significant increase of the value during exposure to noise, both compared with 537

Effects on Plasmatic Androstenedione in Female Workers Exposed to Urban Stressors

“…Data in the literature could support the hypothesis that reproductive health and related systems represent a target of urban stressors, including physical, chemical and psycho-social stressors. The results of two studies highlighted that such physical agents influence the levels of plasmatic concentrations of some hormones, in particular dehydroepiandrosterone (34) and testosterone (35). According to the literature data in our study, respectively 20.9% and 21.9% of traffic police and controls referred fertility disorders, but this difference was not significantly different.…”

Vulnerability of bus and truck drivers affected from vehicle engine noise

“…Noise is most widely spread pollutant in work environment and living environments (Mondal and Ghatak, 2014;Tomei et al, 2000). Today noise pollution is one of the main forms of urban environmental pollution and is responsible for negative impacts that are harmful to the environment and the quality of community health (WHO, 2003).…”

Plasma Cortisol Levels and Workers Exposed to Urban Pollutants

“…In subjects exposed to noise plasma cortisol levels showed a brief significant increase during the exposure period 8) . Our previous researches revealed that exposure of about 15 minutes to noise of intensity between 105 and 108 dBA, with maximum intensity of frequencies between 2000 and 4000 Hz is able to provoke a significant increase in plasma levels of cortisol compared with values measured before and after acoustic stimulation 10) . In workers exposed to the low frequency of noise were found increased cortisol salivary levels 11) .…”

“…On the contrary, lead 6) and zinc 7) may cause a decrease of this hormone. Beside these physical agents such as noise [8][9][10][11] , vibrations 12) and psycho-social stressors [13][14][15] could modify cortisol levels.…”