Sickness response symptoms among healthy volunteers after controlled exposures to diesel exhaust and psychological stress.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Interactions between acute exposures to environmental chemical contaminants and psychological stress may be important in situations where they are likely to co-occur, ranging in intensity from daily urban living to participation in war. Modification of symptomatic responses by stress may play a role in medically unexplained symptoms attributed to low-level chemical exposures.

Objectives

We hypothesized that the combination of exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) and acute psychological stress would cause sickness responses in healthy volunteers. Moreover, these responses would be greater in individuals with self-reported prior chemical odor intolerance.

Methods

One hundred adult subjects underwent 1-hr exposures to diluted DE and clean air control. Half of the s

SUBMITTER: Laumbach RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3223003 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature