Autonomic, Respiratory and Subjective Effects of Long-term Exposure to Aversive Loud Noise : Tonic Effects in Accumulated Stress Model

Long-term exposure to loud noise affects performance since it changes arousal level, distracts attention, and also is able to evoke subjective stress accompanied by negative emotional states. The purpose of the study was to analyze dynamics of subjective and physiological variables during a relatively long-lasting (30 min) exposure to white noise (85 dB[A]). Physiological signals were recorded on 15 college students during 30 min of intense auditory stimulation. Autonomic variables, namely skin conductance level , non-specific SCR number, inter-best intervals in ECG, heart rate variability index (HF/LF ratio of HRV), skin temperature, as well as respiration rate were analyzed on 5 min epoch basis. Psychological assessment (subjective rating of stress level) was also repeated every 5 min. Statistical analysis was employed to trace the time course of the dynamics of subjective and autonomic physiological variables and their relationships. Results showed that the intense noise evoked subjective stress as well as associated autonomic nervous system responses. However it was shown that physiological variables endured specific changes in the process of exposure to the loud white noise. Discussed were probable psychophysiological mechanisms mediating reactivity to long-term auditory stimulation of high intensity, namely short-term activation, followed by transient adaptation (with relatively stable autonomic balance) and then a subsequent wave of arousal due to tonic sympathetic dominance.