1993 Volume 29 Issue 12 Pages 1403-1412
The living body adapts itself to a changing environment by reacting in response to environmental stimulation. Methods of assessing body regulation include physiological and psychological measurements and evaluation of task-handling performance. The living body can be comprehensively evaluated from multiple viewpoints based on these indices, and the appropriate combination of methods can be selected according to the purpose. We report on our methods of evaluating the physiological activity of the daytime living body (α-attenuation test, ECG R-R fluctuation analysis, Heart rate, Rectal temperature), and discuss the applicability of the proposed methods. We also touch upon evaluation of performance and subjective feeling.
Results 1: With the aim of quantifying the physiological activity of the living body, the α-attenuation test for evaluation of alertness and ECG R-R interval analysis for evaluation of the activity of the autonomic nervous system were assessed. The potential for quantification of diurnal change in alertness by the use of the α-attenuation test was suggested. We also rated a performance test based on reaction time and target tracking error, and a subjective feeling measurement method using an analog scale on a computer display. The subjective feeling measurement method and the performance test were found applicable to the quantitative assessment of diurnal changes in physiological activity.
Results 2: Rectal temperature, heart rate, performance, and subjective feelings were measured at night for an awake subject. They were depressed early in the morning. Rectal temperature and heart rate showed positive correlation. Rectal temperature showed negative correlation with reaction time, tracking error, and subjective feelings. These results suggest that physiological, psychological, and behavioral states were depressed early in the morning according to the circadian rhythm, and that the performance capability and subjective feelings could be estimated by rectal temperature and heart rate.
