Stress Hormones in the Research on Cardiovascular Effects of Noise

Author: Babisch W.¹

Source: Noise and Health, Volume 5, Number 18, Jan - Mar 2003 , pp. 1-11(11)

Publisher: nRn Publications

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Abstract:

In recent years, the measurement of stress hormones including adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol has been widely used to study the possible increase in cardiovascular risk of noise exposed subjects. Since endocrine changes manifesting in physiological disorders come first in the chain of cause-effect for perceived noise stress, noise effects in stress hormones may therefore be detected in populations after relatively short periods of noise exposure. This makes stress hormones a useful stress indicator, but regarding a risk assessment, the interpretation of endocrine noise effects is often a qualitative one rather than a quantitative one. Stress hormones can be used in noise studies to study mechanisms of physiological reactions to noise and to identify vulnerable groups. A review is given about findings in stress hormones from laboratory, occupational and environmental studies.

Keywords: noise; health; endocrine effects; stress hormones

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Department of Environment and Health, Federal Environmental Agency, P. O. Box 33 00, 22, 14191 Berlin, Germany

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