Gender Differences in Physiological Effects of a Transient Exposure to Experimental Noise

The physiological responses following stress are different in individual or personality. We performed this study to clarify gender differences in influences of noise stress on physiological factors. 70 healthy subjects, which was divided man (n=30) and woman (n=40) groups, were exposed to 85 decibels of excavator noise for 15 minutes. Cardiac factors such as heart rate (HR), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP, respectively), and heart rate-systolic pressure product (RPP) were determined. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) was used to measure mean blood flow velocity (Vm), pulsatility index (PI), and resistance index (RI) in the middle, anterior and posterior cerebral arteries (MCA, ACA and PCA, respectively) before and during noise exposure. Cortisol level and hematological variables were also measured before (baseline) and immediately after the end of noise exposure. In the both groups HR, SBP, and RPP significantly decreased during noise exposure (P<0.05) but not significantly different between two groups (P>0.05). Vms of three cerebral arteries in man group decreased, whereas Vm of PCA in woman group fell during noise exposure (P<0.05). Vm, PI and RI in MCA and ACA during noise exposure were low in man group compared with woman group (P<0.05). Vm of PCA was low, whereas PI and RI of PCA were high in man group compared with woman group during noise exposure (P<0.05). Total leukocyte and red blood cell (RBC) counts slightly decreased during noise exposure but not significant (P>0.05). Levels in hematological variables decreased but not significant changed following noise exposure. Decreased rate of total leukocyte in man group was higher (P<0.05). Cortisol levels in the both groups decreased immediately after the end of noise exposure, while the decreased rate in man group was greater than that in woman group (p<0.05). These findings indicate that a transient exposure to experimental excavator noise may cause decreased changes in cardiac factors, cerebral hemodynamics and cortisol levels and the changes may be greater in men than in women.