IV. Extra-auditory effects in long-term exposure to aircraft and traffic noise.

Abstract

A series of human studies was performed in 12 young healthy male subjects to investigate extra-auditory effects of short-term (15 min) exposure to aircraft noise (84–91 dB(A)), to traffic noise (Leq 83.5 dB(A)), to mental load, and to combined load (noise + mental load). Exposure to noise caused increase of diastolic blood pressure and respiratory rate, decrease of pulse pressure and quotient of heart rate/respiratory rate and also decrease of performance in a mental task. Aircarft and traffic noise generally induce similar effects, which go into the same direction as induced by mental performance alone. Combined exposure induces a stronger (but not additive) effect on diastolic blood pressure and respiratory rate than each condition alone. There is suggestive evidence that exposure to noise and performance of an information processing task both induce simultaneous increase of sympathic and parasympathic tone.