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The stress-response
Published in Herman Staudenmayer, Environmental Illness, 2018
DA and its metabolites such as 3–4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid substantially reflect events in the brain, whereas EPI and its metabolites tend to reflect the activity of the adrenal medulla. Stimulation with drugs which enhance DA (e.g., amphetamines and cocaine) may result in attentional hypervigilance and feelings of paranoia (Satel et al., 1991). Elevated DA metabolism may be an adaptive response to environmental stress (DeBellis et al., 1994b), but may also reflect hypervigilance, panic attacks, and other anxiety symptoms associated with stress-induced hyperactivity of central DA systems. DA levels below homeostasis are associated with reduction in activity and absence of pleasure. Extreme abnormalities in DA concentrations are associated with schizophrenia (high levels) and Parkinson’s disease (low levels) (Walker and Diforio, 1997).
Health effects of transport noise
Published in Transport Reviews, 2023
David Welch, Daniel Shepherd, Kim N. Dirks, Ravi Reddy
Annoyance manifests a strong emotional reaction to the noise, which in turn interferes with cognitive processes by focusing attention onto the noise source at the expense of other tasks. Massonnie et al. (2022) argue for a distinction between annoyance and interference, and by performing an evaluative function on incoming auditory stimuli, cognition itself can amplify annoyance. Furthermore, vulnerable individuals exhibiting the trait of noise sensitivity may have impaired cognitive function due to ineffective attentional filters or reduced working memory capacity. As such, noise-sensitive individuals may be more likely to experience transport-related sleep disturbance or noise annoyance, and, consequently, exhibit further cognitive impairment. Finally, when noise impedes cognitive function and overwhelms coping strategies, a stress response can be triggered. When a stressor is relentless, as can be the case with transport noise, it can lead to chronic sympathetic over-arousal and negative health outcomes. This over-arousal, in turn, can lead to a state of hypervigilance, which can negatively influence attentional processes.