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Effects of nocturnal aircraft noise on cognitive performance in the following morning: dose–response relationships in laboratory and field

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Abstract

Objective

Nocturnal aircraft noise disturbs sleep and impairs recuperation. We investigated in laboratory and field studies whether noise-induced sleep fragmentation is associated with performance impairments in a psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) and a memory search task.

Methods

In the laboratory, 112 participants were exposed to aircraft noise during 9 consecutive nights. In the field, 64 participants were examined during 9 consecutive nights in the vicinity of Cologne/Bonn airport. Reaction time, signal detection performance and subjective task load were recorded.

Results

Dose–response relationships showed significant, linear impairments in reaction times. In the laboratory, reaction time in PVT increased with 0.13 ms/dB equivalent noise level (LAeq) plus 0.02 ms/noise event. In the field study, reaction time increased with 0.3 ms/dB LAeq. Participants worked significantly less accurate after nocturnal noise exposure.

Conclusion

Influences of LAeq and number of noise events on daytime performance were small but consistent and significant, stressing the potential public health impact of nocturnal noise exposure.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully thank Alexander Samel, Norbert Luks, Ernst-Wilhelm Mueller, Louise Mawet, Christian Piehler, Gernot Plath, Manfred Schulze, Vinzent Rolny for their support of this work as well as the participants for their ambition to participate in the studies. This work was part of the DLR/HGF-project “Quiet Air Traffic”.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Author notes

  1. David Elmenhorst

    Present address: Research Center Juelich, Institute For Neurosciences and Medicine INM-2, Leo-Brandt-Straße, 52428, Juelich, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. DLR-German Aerospace Centre, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Linder Hoehe, 51170, Cologne, Germany

    Eva-Maria Elmenhorst, Juergen Wenzel, Julia Quehl, Uwe Mueller, Hartmut Maass, Martin Vejvoda & Mathias Basner

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  1. Eva-Maria Elmenhorst
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Correspondence to Eva-Maria Elmenhorst.

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Elmenhorst, EM., Elmenhorst, D., Wenzel, J. et al. Effects of nocturnal aircraft noise on cognitive performance in the following morning: dose–response relationships in laboratory and field. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 83, 743–751 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-010-0515-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-010-0515-5

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