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Environ Health Perspect

Title:		Human breathing and eye blink rate responses to airborne chemicals
Author(s):		Walker JC; Kendal-Reed M; Utell MJ; Cain WS;
Address:		"Sensory Research Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA. jwalker@psy.fsu.edu"
Journal Title:		Environ Health Perspect
Year:		2001
Volume:		109 Suppl 4
Issue:		Suppl 4
Page Number:		507 - 512
DOI:		10.1289/ehp.01109s4507
ISSN/ISBN:		0091-6765 (Print) 0091-6765 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Increased levels of air pollution have been linked with morbidity and mortality, but mechanisms linking physiologic responses to quality of life and productivity issues remain largely unknown. Individuals often report irritation of the nose and/or eyes upon exposures to environmental contaminants. Evaluation of these self-reports would be greatly aided by the development of valid physiological markers. Chamber studies (unencumbered exposures) of nonsmoker responses to environmental tobacco smoke offer two candidate end points: (a) Tidal volume increases and breathing frequency declines with stimuli that elicit only moderate irritation. (b) Eye blink rate increases only with a concentration sufficiently high to cause progressive worsening of eye irritation with prolonged exposure. Experiments with very brief nasal-only presentations also suggest the value of breathing changes as sensitive markers of irritation: (a) Tidal volume is inversely related to perceived nasal irritation (NI) intensity in both normal and anosmic (lacking olfactory input) individuals, although normals exhibit greater NI sensitivity. (b) Inhalation duration, in both groups, declines only with trigeminal activation sufficient to cause readily perceptible NI in anosmics. Changes in eye blink rate and breathing may be useful in the investigation of irritation and other effects of air pollution, and could be quite useful in investigations of mixtures of volatile organic compounds"
Keywords:		Air Pollutants/*adverse effects Blinking/*drug effects Environmental Monitoring/*methods Humans Respiration/*drug effects Tidal Volume/*drug effects;
Notes:		"MedlineWalker, J C Kendal-Reed, M Utell, M J Cain, W S eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review 2001/09/07 Environ Health Perspect. 2001 Aug; 109 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):507-12. doi: 10.1289/ehp.01109s4507"