Antihistamine Effects on Motor Skills and Vigilance

摘要

Controlled studies were performed to measure the degree and manner in which performance abilities of 12 females were affected by a nonprescription antihistamine compound in two simulated industrial work tasks, one requiring vigilance and the other requiring sensory motor function. In the vigilance task, for subjects treated with the antihistamine, the differences in response time to three key lights were not statistically significant, although the investigation validated the hypothesis that missed responses would be statistically significant. Neither false responses nor purposeful eye movements achieved statistical significance. Dependent variables of the motor skills tasks also failed to achieve statistical significance. The results indicate that, for occupational safety and health, active bodily motion should be incorporated into inspection and monitoring tasks, even though such motion could be automated or machined out. Time period was statistically significant for all dependent variables of the vigilance task on the antihistamine day, while in the motor skills task time period was insignificant for all dependent variables.