Changes in auditory evoked brain potentials during ultra-low frequency whole-body vibration of man or of his visual surround.
Auditory evoked brain potentials (AEP) were recorded from nine healthy male subjects during three types of condition: A - subject and visual field stationary; B - subject vibrated (z-axis, 0.6 Hz, 1.85 ms-2 rms), visual field stationary; C - subject stationary, visual field vibrated (as for B). The visual surround was confined to a checkerboard pattern in front of the subject. Auditory stimuli (1000 Hz, 86 dB, interstimulus interval 7 s) were delivered via headphones to evoke AEP. Vibration-synchronous activity in the EEG was eliminated by a subtraction technique. In comparison with condition A, conditions B and C caused an attenuation of P2 and N1P2 components of AEP together with an increased latency of N1. Effects of conditions B and C did not differ. Direct vestibular stimulation and mechanisms specific for whole-body vibration were rejected as modes of action. The AEP-changes and the subjective evaluation of experimental conditions, arousal and performance, as well as symptoms of kinetosis (motion sickness) suggest a sensory mismatch, leading to a "latent kinetosis" with de-arousal, as the dominating mechanism by which the processing of information was affected. This suggestion was supported by an additional pilot study. Under real working conditions a similar effect can be expected during relative motion between the driver and his visual surround, i.e. even with perfect vibro-isolation of the driver's seat.
Seidel
H
H
Department of Occupational Hygiene, Central Institute for Occupational Medicine of the German Democratic Republic, Berlin.
Schuster
U
U
Menzel
G
G
Nikolajewitsch Kurerov
N
N
Richter
J
J
Schajpak
E J
EJ
Blüthner
R
R
Meister
A
A
Ullsperger
P
P
D000328:Adult; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007699:Kinesthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000502:physiology; D014732:Vibration; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*