Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T15:09:47.058Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effects of experimentally induced respiratory virus infections on performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

A. P. Smith ,
D. A. J. Tyrrell ,
W. Al-Nakib ,
K. B. Coyle ,
C. B. Donovan ,
P. G. Higgins  and
J. S. Willman
A. P. Smith*
Affiliation:
MRC Perceptual and Cognitive Performance Unit, University of Sussex, Brighton and MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury, UK and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA
D. A. J. Tyrrell
Affiliation:
MRC Perceptual and Cognitive Performance Unit, University of Sussex, Brighton and MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury, UK and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA
W. Al-Nakib
Affiliation:
MRC Perceptual and Cognitive Performance Unit, University of Sussex, Brighton and MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury, UK and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA
K. B. Coyle
Affiliation:
MRC Perceptual and Cognitive Performance Unit, University of Sussex, Brighton and MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury, UK and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA
C. B. Donovan
Affiliation:
MRC Perceptual and Cognitive Performance Unit, University of Sussex, Brighton and MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury, UK and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA
P. G. Higgins
Affiliation:
MRC Perceptual and Cognitive Performance Unit, University of Sussex, Brighton and MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury, UK and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA
J. S. Willman
Affiliation:
MRC Perceptual and Cognitive Performance Unit, University of Sussex, Brighton and MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury, UK and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr A. P. Smith, MRC Perceptual and Cognitive Performance Unit, Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Synopsis

Studies of experimentally induced respiratory infections and illnesses showed that influenza impaired performance on a visual search task but had no effect on a simple motor task, whereas colds impaired the motor task but not the search task. The effect of influenza on the search task was observed in both volunteers with significant clinical symptoms and volunteers who were shown, by virological techniques, to be infected but who had no significant clinical illness. Performance was also impaired during the incubation period of this illness, which confirms that subclinical influenza virus infections can have behavioural effects. In contrast to influenza, the effects of colds were restricted to volunteers who had significant clinical symptoms, and the impairments in performance were observed only when the symptoms were apparent.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , February 1988 , pp. 65 - 71
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alluisi, E. A., Thurmond, J. B. & Coates, G. D. (1971). Behavioral effects of infectious disease: respiratory Pasteurella tularensis in man. Perceptual & Motor Skills 32, 647–688.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alluisi, E. A., Beisel, W. R., Bartelloni, P. J. & Coates, G. D. (1973). Behavioral effects of tularemia and sandfly fever in man. Journal of Infectious Diseases 128, 710–717.Google Scholar
Beare, A. S. & Reed, S. E. (1977). The study of antiviral compounds in volunteers. In Chemoprophylaxis and Virus Infections vol. 2 (ed. Oxford, J. S.), pp. 27–59. CRC Press: Cleveland.Google Scholar
Chiles, W. D., Alluisi, E. A. & Adams, O. S. (1968). Work schedules and performance during confinement. Human Factors 10, 143–196.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Colquhoun, W. P. (1971). Circadian variation in mental efficiency. In Biological Rhythms and Human Performance (ed. Colquhoun, W. P.), pp. 39–107. Academic Press: London.Google Scholar
Easterbrook, J. A. (1959). The effect of emotion on cue utilization and the organization of behaviour. Psychological Review 66, 183–201.Google Scholar
Folkard, S. & Monk, T. H. (1985). Circadian performance rhythms. In Hours of Work: Temporal Factors in Work-Scheduling (ed. Folkard, S. & Monk, T. H.), pp. 37–52. Wiley: Chichester.Google Scholar
Folkard, S., Wever, R. A. & Wildgruber, C. M. (1983). Multioscillatory control of circadian rhythms in human performance. Nature 305, 223–226.Google Scholar
Hammerton, M. & Tickner, A. H. (1969). An investigation into the effects of stress upon skilled operator performance. Ergonomics 12, 851–855.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Higgins, P. G. (1974). Viruses associated with acute respiratory infections 1961–1971. Journal of Hygiene 72, 425–432.Google Scholar
Smith, A. P. & Miles, C. (1985). The combined effects of noise and nightwork on human function. In Contemporary Ergonomics 1985 (ed. Oborne, D.), pp. 33–41. Taylor & Francis: London.Google Scholar
Smith, A. P. & Miles, C. (1987). The combined effects of occupational health hazards an experimental investigation of the effects of noise, nightwork and meals. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 59, 83–89.Google Scholar
Smith, A. P., Tyrrell, D. A. J., Coyle, K. B. & Willman, J. S. (1987). Selective effects of minor illnesses on human performance. British Journal of Psychology 78, 183–188.Google Scholar
Smith, A. P., Tyrrell, D. A. J., Coyle, K. B., Higgins, P. G. & Willman, J. S. (in preparation). Diurnal variation in subjective and objective measures of coldsGoogle Scholar
Thurmond, J. B., Alluisi, E. A. & Coates, G. D. (1971). An extended study of the behavioral effects of respiratory Pasteurella tularensis in man. Perceptual and Motor Skills 33, 439–454.Google Scholar
Warm, J. S. & Alluisi, E. A. (1967). Behavioral reactions to infection: review of the psychological literature. Perceptual and Motor Skills 24, 755–783.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wing, A. M. (1982). Timing and co-ordination of repetitive bimanual movements. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 34, 339–348.Google Scholar