Can tamoxifen relieve motion sickness?
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J F Golding.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
BACKGROUND: Maneuvering in vehicles exposes occupants to low frequency forces (< 1 Hz) which can provoke motion sickness. HYPOTHESIS: Aligning with the tilting inertial resultant (gravity + imposed horizontal acceleration: gravito-inertial force (GIF)) may reduce motion sickness when tilting is either 'active' (self-initiated; Experiment 1) or 'passive' (suspension machinery; Experiment 2). METHODS: Exp 1: Twelve seated subjects were exposed to continuous horizontal translational oscillation through the body x-axis (3.1 m x S(-2) peak acceleration, 0.20 Hz) while making head tilts which were either aligned or misaligned (180 degrees out of phase) with respect to GIF. The two sessions were one week apart at the same time of day, counterbalanced for order. Head tilts were controlled by tracking a moving LED display and head trajectory was verified by accelerometry. Motion continued until moderate nausea was achieved (motion endpoint) or until a 30 min cut-off. Exp 2: A different group of 12 subjects were exposed to continuous horizontal translational sinusoidal oscillation through the body x-axis (2.0 m x S(-2) peak acceleration, 0.176 Hz) while seated in a cab which was tilted by suspension machinery around the y-axis of the ears so that GIF was aligned or misaligned (180 degrees out of phase) with the body z-axis. RESULTS: Exp 1: Mean +/- SD time to motion endpoint was significantly longer for aligned (19.2 +/- 12.0 min) than for misaligned (17.8 +/- 13.0 min; p < 0.05, two-tail). Exp 2: Mean +/- SD time to motion endpoint was significantly shorter for aligned (21.8 +/- 10.9 min) than for misaligned (28.3 +/- 5.8 min; p < 0.01, two-tail). CONCLUSIONS: Whether or not compensatory tilting protects against (Exp 1) or contributes to (Exp 2) motion sickness may be influenced by whether the tilting is under the active control of the person (e.g., car driver) or under external control (e.g., passenger in a high-speed tilting train).
BACKGROUND: Low frequency translational oscillation can provoke motion sickness in land vehicles, ships and aircraft. Although controlled motion experiments indicate a progressive increase in nauseogenicity as frequency decreases toward 0.2 Hz, few data are available on the existence of a definite maximum nauseogenic potential of motion around 0.2 Hz, or decreased nauseogenicity below this frequency. HYPOTHESIS: Nauseogenicity should be maximal around 0.2 Hz. METHODS: We selected 12 subjects for high motion sickness susceptibility, and they were exposed to horizontal sinusoidal motion (1.0 m.s(-2) peak acceleration) at 3 different frequencies (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 Hz), at 1-wk intervals at the same time of day, according to a factorial design. Subjects were seated comfortably in the upright position with head erect. Fore-aft motion was through the body and head X-axis. Motion was stopped (motion endpoint) at moderate nausea or after 30 min. RESULTS: The proportion of subjects experiencing moderate nausea was maximal at the intermediate frequency: 8/12 at 0.1 Hz, 12/12 at 0.2 Hz, 7/12 at 0.4 Hz. The mean time to motion endpoint was significantly (p < 0.01) shorter at the intermediate frequency: 18.0 min at 0.1 Hz; 11.2 min at 0.2 Hz; 20.2 min at 0.4 Hz. Similar frequency patterns emerged for other sickness ratings. The equivalent times to achieve moderate nausea using estimated values to correct for subjects who reached the 30 min time cut-off were: 22.7 min at 0.1 Hz; 11.2 min at 0.2 Hz; 28.1 min at 0.4 Hz. CONCLUSIONS: A maximum nauseogenic potential around 0.2 Hz was substantiated.
This study explored the cardiovascular responses to illusions of self-motion (vection) induced in normal subjects according to the hypothesis that vection may be a model for vertigo in vestibular disease. Responses were obtained from 10 men who were exposed to rapid tilts of 20 degrees and 30 degrees rolling from the upright position down to the right or left shoulder. These responses were compared with those evoked during the illusion of roll-tilt vection provoked by a torsionally rotating visual field. Comparisons were made between 10-second data epochs before and after stimulus onset. In response to vection, blood pressure (BP) in the radial artery rose consistently in six subjects, and in all of these, a pressor response to real tilt was also observed. The remaining four subjects consistently had decreased BP in response to vection, and their BPs were affected little by tilt. Subjects whose BP increased with vection and tilt may have been dominated by tendency to arousal, whereas those whose BP decreased may reveal the more appropriate response to tilt from the upright position, which is a decrease in BP. This may reflect individual stereotypes and differences in the relative contributions of somatosensory and vestibular control of autonomic regulation.
BACKGROUND: Seasonal variations in mood (seasonality) appear to be entrained to light, a physical zeitgeber. We hypothesised that people high in seasonality may be responsive to a range of zeitgebers, because of greater mood variability. We investigated whether the moods of people high in seasonality were more strongly entrained to the calendar week, a social zeitgeber, and whether any such effect was dependent on variability of mood. METHODS: 53 participants (14 male, 39 female; overall mean age=30) completed a daily mood report, over 56 consecutive days. Participants also completed the Seasonality Score Index (SSI) of the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire. Each participant's time series of daily mood was analysed by spectral analysis to quantify the strength of their weekly mood cycle. RESULTS: Participants with high SSI scores (> or =11) had significantly stronger weekly mood cycles than those with low SSI scores (<11), and significantly greater variability in mood. Covarying for mood variability reduced the difference between high and low SSI groups in mean strength of weekly mood cycle to non-significance. LIMITATIONS: The time series of moods obtained was relatively short, and moods among high seasonal participants may have been affected by seasonal weather variability. CONCLUSIONS: People high in seasonality appear to be more responsive to external zeitgebers, and this could be linked to their greater variability in mood. The integration of research on mood variability with research on SAD appears to be warranted.
The purpose of the study was to demonstrate a rapid 'graviceptive' influence on blood pressure in man. Subjects, sitting in an electrically powered car, made discrete head tilts, some of which were unpredictably accompanied by transient linear accelerations of the car i) with head tilting to align with the direction of the resulting inertial force vector (gravity + car acceleration) so that the graviceptors were not stimulated; ii) with head tilting in the opposite direction 'misaligning' which stimulated the graviceptors but otherwise maintained similarity of other sensory inputs. Stimuli were dispensed in a balanced, cross over, repeated measures design on 8 normal males. Recordings were made of arterial blood pressure in the left radial artery, the electrocardiogram and plethysmographic responses in the right hand first digit. Comparisons of 10s pre-stimulus baseline with 10s post stimulus responses. Misaligned head tilts provoked highly significant peak increases in systolic (7.6-9.4 mm Hg) and diastolic (5-6 mm Hg) BP and average BP over 10s was significantly raised. Head tilts maintaining alignment with the inertial force vector provoked raised systolic BP by 4-6 mm Hg for only one or two heartbeats. Head movements alone caused a slight lowering of BP. Effects were evident within 1-2 heartbeats of the acceleration onset. The results demonstrate that the graviceptors have a direct influence on BP in normal man. They also help to explain the profound vaso-vagal symptoms of patients with vertigo and why patients with autoregulatory impairment may be further compromised by uncontrolled accelerating and braking when they are transported in an ambulance.
Between 1995 and 1998 a national sample of 58,501 (42,885 males, 15,616 females) Post Office employees (29%) completed and returned a postal questionnaire survey providing information on demographic characteristics, physical and psychological health, health and lifestyles and health screening behaviour. Response rates by occupational grade were as follows: manual (male 69.3%, females 43.6%); clerical (male = 11.8%, female, 42.3%); middle management (males 15.5%, females 10.7%) and senior management (males 3.4%, females 3.3%). A number of differences in health status occurred with occupational grade. Angina, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, arthritis, disability, GP consultations and abnormal smears were all more prevalent in lower occupational grades. Height, job satisfaction, seat belt use and breast self-examination were also lower in lower status jobs. Some findings were unexpected: GHQ scores indicated better mental health in lower grades, whilst knowledge and frequency of testicular self-examination and attendance for mammograms were higher in lower grades. Self-reports for asthma, diabetes and family history of bowel cancer were also greater in higher grades. These findings are considered in terms of response bias, health selection, the psychosocial work environment, occupational health interventions and the nature, meaning and organization of social position within the Post Office.
The National Lottery has been estimated as being played by 65% of the adult British population. This study investigated whether higher average weekly spending on the Lottery is associated with various health-related variables. Results from a survey of 482 British adults (mean age = 33.3 yr.), consisting of 107 students and 375 people in employment, indicated that those who spent more on the Lottery had significantly poorer social functioning (Social Functioning scale of the SF-36 Health Survey), higher weekly alcohol and cigarette consumption, and lower frequency of social support (Emotional and Social Interaction scales of the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey). By contrast, higher lottery spending was not associated with poorer general mental health (General Health Questionnaire). Manual workers spent over twice the weekly amount on the Lottery compared to nonmanual workers. Consumption of alcohol and cigarettes was lower than recently published UK norms. Results suggest that higher Lottery spending among the general adult population possibly may be linked specifically to restrictions in social activity. The association of Lottery spending with alcohol and cigarette use among a sample whose consumption was relatively low appears to require explanation within psychological theories of addiction. The over-all pattern of results is discussed in relation both to addiction theory and to the Lottery's widespread appeal and availability.
The Reason and Brand Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire (MSSQ) has remained unchanged for a quarter of a century. The primary aims of this investigation were to improve the design of the MSSQ, simplify scoring, produce new adult reference norms, and analyse motion validity data. We also considered the relationship of sickness from other nonmotion causes to the MSSQ. Norms and percentiles for a sample of 148 subjects were almost identical to the original version of this instrument. Reliability of the whole scale gave a Cronbach's standardised item alpha of 0.86, the correlation between Part A (child) and Part B (adult) was r = 0.65 (p < 0.001), and test-retest reliability may be assumed to be better than 0.8. Predictive validity of the MSSQ for motion sickness tolerance using laboratory motion devices averaged r = 0.45. Correlation between MSSQ and other sources of nausea and vomiting in the last 12 months, excluding motion sickness itself, was r = 0.3 (p < 0.001), migraine was the most important contributor to this relationship. In patients (n = 101) undergoing chemotherapy, there were significant correlations between MSSQ and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Migraine also appeared as a predictor of chemotherapy-induced sickness. It was concluded that the revised MSSQ can be used as a direct replacement of the original version. The relationship between motion sickness susceptibility and other causes of sickness, including migraine and chemotherapy, points to the involvement of the vestibular system in the response to nonmotion emetogenic stimuli. Alternatively, this relationship may reflect individual differences in excitability of the postulated final common emetic pathway.
AIMS: Hyoscine (scopolamine), which is effective in the prophylaxis of motion sickness, shows similar binding affinities to all of the five known muscarinic receptor sub-types. The effectiveness of hyoscine was compared with zamifenacin (UK-76654), which binds selectively to the muscarinic M3 and m5 receptors. METHODS: Eighteen subjects received hyoscine hydrobromide 0.6 mg, zamifenacin 20 mg, or placebo (double-blind cross-over design). Sessions were 1 week apart and the drug (oral) was given 90 min prior to a motion sickness test. Motion sickness was elicited by cross-coupled stimulation on a turntable. The rotational velocity was incremented by 2 degrees s-1 every 30 s, and a sequence (seq) of eight head movements of 45 degrees was completed every 30 s. Motion tolerance was assessed as the number of sequences of head movement required to achieve moderate nausea. Pulse rate was recorded before and at 1 and 2 h after drug administration. Skin conductance activity in the frequency band 0.005-0.48 Hz, an index of sweat gland activity, was measured using Ag/AgCl electrodes on the palmar surfaces of fingers and across the forehead. RESULTS: Both zamifenacin and hyoscine produced an increase in tolerance to the motion challenge (P < 0.01) with no significant difference between the two drugs (5.0 +/- 1.6 vs 5.7 +/- 1.6 seqs. respectively, mean +/- s.e.mean). Compared with placebo or zamifenacin, pulse rate fell following hyoscine administration (9 beats min-1, P < 0.01). Skin conductance was reduced following hyoscine compared with zamifenacin or placebo (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that compounds with selective M3 and/or m5 antagonism possess activity against motion sickness. Antagonism at these receptors may be the basis of the anti-motion sickness action of hyoscine.
BACKGROUND: Low frequency translational oscillation can provoke motion sickness in land vehicles, ships and aircraft. HYPOTHESIS: Nauseogenicity should decrease towards the higher frequencies. METHODS: Some 12 subjects were exposed to horizontal sinusoidal motion (3.6 m.s-2 peak) at four different frequencies 0.35, 0.50, 0.70, and 1.00 Hz, at 1-week intervals, latin square order. Subjects were seated in the upright position; motion was through the head-body X-axis. Motion was stopped (motion endpoint) at moderate nausea or after 30 min. RESULTS: The proportion of subjects experiencing moderate nausea decreased towards the higher frequency: 9/12 at 0.35 Hz, 3/12 at 0.50 Hz, 0/12 at 0.70 Hz, and 2/12 at 1.00 Hz. The mean time to motion endpoint increased significantly (p < 0.001) towards the higher frequency: 17.4 min 0.35 Hz; 26.0 min 0.50 Hz; 30 min 0.70 Hz; 28.3 min 1.00 Hz. Differences between frequencies were significant (0.001 < p < 0.05) except for 0.70 Hz to 1.00 Hz. At all frequencies tested, horizontal stimuli were more nauseogenic than predicted by mathematical models based on the frequency and intensity of vertical oscillation. Somatogravic illusion (SGI) was reported by 9/12 subjects (mean illusory tilt angles 15.6 degrees forward, 14.1 degrees back). SGI tended to diminish at the higher frequencies, but there was no relationship between SGI and motion sickness. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm previous findings (9), and furthermore indicate that horizontal X-axis translational oscillation has greatly reduced nauseogenic potential at frequencies greater than 0.5 Hz. A mathematical model is proposed to predict motion sickness intensity and incidence due to this stimulus, which may also be applicable to equivalent Y-axis motion.
BACKGROUND: Low frequency linear (translational) oscillation is an important stimulus in provoking motion sickness in a variety of modes of transport. HYPOTHESIS: Lower frequencies of horizontal linear oscillation would be more nauseogenic. The somatogravic illusion (SGI) would be affected by frequency. METHODS: Subjects (n = 12) were exposed to horizontal sinusoidal motion (3.6 m.s-2 peak) at three different frequencies (0.205 Hz, 0.350 Hz, 0.500 Hz) at one week intervals, with order randomized between subjects. Subjects were seated in the upright position, with motion through the X head body axis. RESULTS: The mean (+/- S.D.) motion exposure time required to produce moderate nausea decreased significantly (p < 0.01) towards the lower frequency: 24.4 +/- 19.3 min. at 0.500 Hz, 12.0 +/- 9.5 min. at 0.350 Hz, 7.8 +/- 6.2 min. at 0.205 Hz. The linear fit of time (t) to nausea with frequency was -7.4 dB/octave. This was equivalent to a -3.7 dB/octave decrease of nauseogenic potential with increasing frequency, if t1/2 were to be used as in the standard "motion dose" models. The SGI was reported by 5/12 subjects (mean illusory tilting angles 16.2 degrees forward, 14.3 degrees back) but there was no relationship between SGI and motion frequency or motion sickness. CONCLUSIONS: Horizontal motion with subjects seated upright was more nauseogenic than would be predicted by mathematical models based on vertical oscillation, and the relationship of frequency to nauseogenicity for horizontal motion was significantly less steep than that previously reported for vertical motion.
The aim of this study was to determine whether varying the predetermined malaise level at which provocative motion challenges were stopped would affect the habituation rate. At the rate of 2 per day, 21 motion challenges were delivered, stopping either at initial symptoms or at moderate nausea, on a cross-over design randomized between subjects (n = 20). The cross-coupled motion challenge had an incrementing profile of rotational velocity from 2-90 degrees.s-1 in steps of 2 degrees.s-1 every 30 s, with 8 head movements per 30 s, of approximately 45 degrees. The number of head movements tolerated before the onset of nausea increased over the 21 challenges, but the effects of the treatment variation on habituation were not significant. The number of motion challenges, rather than the severity of malaise level achieved, was the more important factor determining habituation.
BACKGROUND: A recent experiment demonstrated that low frequency linear oscillation through the Z-axis of the body was more nauseogenic when applied in the vertical direction, with subjects seated upright, than in the horizontal direction, with subjects supine. HYPOTHESIS: The nauseogenicity of low frequency linear oscillatory motion is dependent on direction of motion with respect to the gravity vector, orientation of body axis with respect to motion, and body posture. METHODS: The following conditions were compared: A) seated upright, with horizontal motion, X-axis; B) seated upright, with vertical motion, Z-axis; and C) supine, with vertical motion, X-axis. Sinusoidal motion at 0.35 Hz, 3.6 m.s-2 peak was used in all conditions. Two experiments were performed. In Experiment 1 subjects (n = 28) were exposed to conditions A and B. In Experiment 2 subjects (n = 12) were exposed to conditions A, B and C. RESULTS: Horizontal motion (condition A) was found to be twice as nauseogenic (p < 0.05 to p < 0.0001) as vertical motion (condition B), but there was no difference in nauseogenicity between upright and supine postures for vertical motion (condition B vs. C). Mean motion exposure times to achieve moderate nausea were: Experiment 1: A) 9.0 min.; B) 22.4 min.; Experiment 2: A) 15.3 min.; B) 27.1 min.; C) 22.5 min. CONCLUSIONS: These results, taken together with those of the previous experiment, suggest that upright vs. supine body posture and stimulation through X- vs. Z-axis, both enhance the nauseogenicity of low frequency linear oscillation, these effects are additive, but that motion direction with respect to the gravity vector (horizontal vs. vertical) is a less important factor.
Evidence that Z-axis oscillation in the Earth-vertical plane is more provocative of motion sickness than the equivalent imposed oscillation acting in the Earth-horizontal raises the possibility that horizontal oscillation is perceived as less intense than equivalent vertical oscillation. In Experiment 1, subjects (n = 8) were oscillated through their head Z-axis in both the Earth-vertical and horizontal planes. In Experiment 2, another group (n = 10) were oscillated through their head Y-axis in the Earth-horizontal. Stimuli were 5 cycles of motion at 0.3 Hz ranging in 3.5 dB intervals from 0.19 to 2.15 m.s-2 (Expt. 1) and from 0.1 to 3.98 m.s-2 (Expt. 2). Perceptual scaling of intensity against acceleration was similar irrespective of direction of oscillation in the Earth-plane or head-body axis. Displacement tended to be overestimated, this being most marked for the lower acceleration levels in the horizontal condition. Results supported the notion that Stevens' Power Law exponents decrease as a function of increasing stimulus range. Differences in perception of oscillation intensity and displacement do not seem to explain the markedly greater nauseogenic potential of vertical oscillation.
The aim of this study was to compare the nauseogenic potential of low-frequency linear motion in the Earth-vertical versus the Earth-horizontal plane, delivered through the same Z-axis of the head and body. Twelve subjects were challenged with linear motion (0.3 Hz, 1.8 ms-2 rms) through the same head and body Z-axis in the Earth-vertical (sitting upright) versus horizontal (lying on the back), while either performing a continuous visual search task or with their eyes closed. Each subject completed the four conditions on a Latin square design with sessions spaced 1 week apart at the same time of day. Vertical motion was clearly more provocative than horizontal motion, and nauseogenicity of motion was exacerbated by a visual search task. Motion sickness impaired performance of the search task. Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire (MSSQ) scores correlated with individual susceptibility to the motion challenge. Mean sickness ratings for vertical motion showed some correspondence with those predicted by mathematical models of motion sickness dose response relationships.