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Biomedical subjects

M Björkman

Publications and source records attributed to M Björkman.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1988

Noise annoyance with regard to neurophysiological sensitivity, subjective noise sensitivity and personality variables.

To evaluate the relation between annoyance to environmental noise, general neurophysiological sensitivity, subjective noise sensitivity and other individual characteristics, experiments were undertaken in which 93 subjects assessed their subjective annoyance after exposure to noise under laboratory conditions. Evaluations were made of the discomfort threshold for pulsating sound, the light discomfort, and heat and cold discomfort. The heart rate and discomfort after exposure to a series of impulse noises was also determined. Subjective noise sensitivity, attitudes to noise, mood and personality characteristics of the subjects were evaluated using questionnaires. The results show that the annoyance after exposure to noise was not closely related to the general neurophysiological sensitivity, measured as discomfort threshold for noise, heat, cold and light; or to the heart rate reaction or discomfort after exposure to impulse noise. The annoyance was highly correlated with subjectively reported noise sensitivity and with the attitude to noise. There was also a relationship with neuroticism, measured with the EPI scale. It is suggested that the subjective noise sensitivity, attitude and neuroticism for the definition of noise sensitivity be defined in future studies of long term effects of noise exposure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Sleep disturbance before and after traffic noise attenuation in an apartment building.

A study on traffic noise sleep disturbance was made in an apartment building before and after the installation of noise insulating windows. Three tenants completed a questionnaire each morning one week before and one week after the insulation of windows, and body movements during sleep were recorded during these periods. All persons demonstrated a decrease in the number of body movements after the windows had been insulated and two reported improved sleep quality. The results suggest that subjectively judged sleep quality as well as recordings of bed movements are useful tools for evaluating actions to reduce noise.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Effect of noise on blood pressure and 'stress' hormones.

1. Noise stimulation (95 dBA) for 20 min caused a significant increase in diastolic (12%, P less than 0.001) and mean arterial pressure (7%, P less than 0.001) in 15 healthy normotensive male subjects. 2. There was no significant change in systolic blood pressure or heart rate during exposure to noise. 3. Adrenaline, noradrenaline, prolactin, cortisol and growth hormone concentration in venous plasma were not affected during noise stimulation.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Haemodynamic effects of noise exposure before and after beta 1-selective and non-selective beta-adrenoceptor blockade in patients with essential hypertension.

1. Noise stimulation (100 dBA) for 10 min caused a significant increase in diastolic (7.0%, P less than 0.001) and mean arterial blood pressure (4.3%, P less than 0.01) in patients with essential hypertension. 2. The blood pressure response to noise was due to an increase in total peripheral resistance (4.8%, P less than 0.02); heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output were unchanged. 3. beta 1-selective adrenoceptor blockade (metoprolol) did not change the haemodynamic reaction pattern induced by noise. 4. Noise exposure during non-selective beta-adrenoceptor blockade (propranolol) caused an accentuated blood pressure response with increments of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as a more pronounced rise in total peripheral resistance. 5. The haemodynamic changes induced by noise stimulation at 100 dBA totally disappeared after 5 min of quiet rest at 40 dBA.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Noise as a contributory factor in the development of elevated arterial pressure. A study of the mechanisms by which noise may raise blood pressure in man.

Arterial pressure and other hemodynamic variables (stroke volume (SV), cardiac output and total peripheral resistance) were studied in 18 healthy males before and during exposure to recorded industrial noise. All measurements took place under strictly standardized conditions in a noise laboratory. the frequency distribution and level of noise used for stimulation were continuously monitored and kept constant within close limits throughout the experiments. SV was measured with impedance cardiography. Indirect blood pressure (BP) in the brachial artery was measured with an automatic device and the derived parameters, cardiac output and total peripheral resistance, were calculated from these measurements. Compared with resting conditions at 40 dBA, stimulation with industrial noise at 95 dBA caused significant increases in diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure and total peripheral resistance. Minor but statistically significant reductions of SV and cardiac output were seen. Heart rate and systolic BP did not change. These alterations of the hemodynamic variables persisted throughout 20 min of noise stimulation and were maintained for 5 min following cessation of noise stimulation. All variables had returned to their initial levels 10 min after discontinuation of noise stimulation. This study suggests that exposure to industrial noise at levels prevailing during several industrial processes may cause acute elevations of arterial BP and peripheral vascular resistance. In animal studies, repeated elevations of BP due to exposure to noise have been shown to cause a permanent elevation of BP. Therefore, we suggest that noise may be one of several external stimuli contributing to the development of arterial hypertension in man.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Hemodynamic and hormonal changes induced by noise.

Eighteen healthy male volunteers with normal hearing were exposed to industrial noise at different sound levels (75, 85 and 95 dB A) in a noise laboratory. Blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac output were recorded with noninvasive techniques. Adrenaline and noradrenaline concentration in venous plasma were analyzed before and during noise exposure. The mean resting blood pressure of the whole group was 120/70 mm Hg. During noise stimulation diastolic blood pressure increased (12.2%, p less than 0.001) as did mean arterial pressure (6.6%, p less than 0.001) and total peripheral resistance (12.7%, p less than 0.001). Stroke volume (7.3%, p less than 0.001) and cardiac output (5.0%, p less than 0.01) were both reduced at 95 dB A. Heart rate and systolic blood pressure did not change significantly. At 75 and 85 dB A there were similar but smaller changes in the hemodynamic parameters. There were no changes in adrenaline and noradrenaline in plasma during maximal noise exposure. The noise induced hemodynamic changes remained 5 minutes after the noise stimulation was stopped but had disappeared after 10 minutes of rest.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dose-response relationships for traffic noise and annoyance.

The annoyance due to road traffic noise was studied in 18 areas in five countries. A total of 1379 interviews was performed and noise measurements were made in each area. The relation between Leq and the extent of the population expressing that they were "very annoyed" was poor (rxy = 0.03). An augmentation of the number of heavy vehicles from 1000/24 hr up to greater than 3000/24 hr did not increase the extent of annoyance. The highest correlation was obtained for the maximum noise level. The dose-response relationship implies that the number of events above a certain limit will not increase the extent of annoyance: it is determined by the highest noise level from single vehicles. It is suggested that this model for the human reaction to environmental noise, which has now been demonstrated for aircraft, train, and traffic noise, should be considered for the establishment of standards.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Aircraft noise annoyance and average versus maximum noise levels.

A questionnaire study was performed in seven areas located around the airports of Landvetter and Save, Gothenburg, in an attempt to elucidate the extent of annoyance in populations exposed to aircraft noise. Noise exposure was estimated as the energy equivalent level (Aircraft Noise Level--FBN) or as the number of aircraft with levels that exceeded 70 dBA, combined with the maximum noise level. The results were compared with data obtained from the earlier Scandinavian Aircraft Noise Investigation. The results supported the conclusion that the annoyance reaction is better related to the number of aircraft and the maximum noise level than to energy equivalent levels for noise exposure.

Adolescent↗