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Autonomic Nervous System Responses to Whole-Body Vibration and Mental Workload: A Pilot Study Publisher Pubmed



Jalilian H1 ; Zamanian Z2 ; Gorjizadeh O1 ; Riaei S1 ; Monazzam MR3 ; Abdolieramaki M4
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
  2. 2. Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. School of Occupational and Public Health, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada

Source: International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Published:2019


Abstract

Background: Whole-body vibration (WBV) and mental workload (MWL) are common stressors among drivers who attempt to control numerous variables while driving a car, bus, or train. Objective: To examine the individual and combined effects of the WBV and MWL on the autonomic nervous system. Methods: ECG of 24 healthy male students was recorded using NeXus-4 while performing two difficulty levels of a computerized dual task and when they were exposing to WBV (intensity 0.5 m/s2; frequency 3–20 Hz). Each condition was examined for 5 min individually and combined. Inter-beat intervals were extracted from ECG records. The time-domain and frequency-domain heart rate variability parameters were then extracted from the inter-beat intervals data. Results: A significant (p=0.008) increase was observed in the mean RR interval while the participants were exposed to WBV; there was a significant (p=0.02) reduction in the mean RR interval while the participants were performing the MWL. WBV (p=0.02) and MWL significantly (p<0.001) increased the standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals with a moderate-to-large effect size. All active periods increased the low-frequency component and low-frequency/high-frequency ratio. However, only the WBV significantly increased the high-frequency component. A significant (p=0.01) interaction was observed between the WBV and MWL on low-frequency component and low-frequency/high-frequency ratio. Conclusion: Exposure to WBV and MWL can dysregulate the autonomic nervous system. WBV stimulates both sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system; MWL largely affects sympathetic nervous system. Both variables imbalance the sympatho-vagal control as well. © 2019, NIOC Health Organization. All rights reserved.
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