Effects of flight workload on urinary catecholamine responses in experienced military pilots.
This study investigated the flight responses induced by strenuous aerobatic demonstration flight and an air-to-air combat maneuvering flight in experienced pilots. Subjects were 54 military male pilots on a volunteer basis: 8 T-4 pilots (M= 35.8 yr., SD=4.9), 15 F-4 pilots (M=32.6 yr., SD=5.1), 13 F-15 pilots (M=33.8 yr., SD=1.0), and 18 F-2 pilots (M=33.7 yr., SD=3.9). Samples of urine were collected approximately 30 min. before and 20 min. after the flights. The postflight adrenaline in all pilots was significantly higher than at preflight, while a significant increase in noradrenaline at postflight was not observed. The post-/preflight ratio of adrenaline in all pilots was relatively similar and high. These findings might be regarded as a result of autonomic nervous system response to the flight workload of military pilots. Especially is increment in sympathetic activity considered to play an important part in psychological adaptation to flight.
2nd Division, Aeromedical Laboratory, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, 1-2-10 Sakae-cho, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo 190-8585, Japan. otsuka1689@inet.asdf.mod.go.jp
Yasutami
Y
Otsuka
Akihiko
A
Onozawa
Azusa
A
Kikukawa
Yoshinori
Y
Miyamoto
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000652:urine*; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*
D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine