MELATONIN AND ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE LEVELS IN VIDEO DISPLAY UNIT WORKERS DURING WORK AND LEISURE

This study examined 47 office workers during a day of regular work in front of a video display unit (VDU) and a day of leisure in the same e nvironment. The study investigated possible effects of VDU work on cir culating melatonin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels, Circ ulating melatonin levels decreased significantly during VDU work, wher eas ACTH levels increased significantly, In contrast, melatonin and AC TH levels did not change significantly during a day of leisure. Mental strain during work was significantly and positively associated with c irculating levels of ACTH but not melatonin. The results indicate that the VDU environment is associated with measurable changes in melatoni n and ACTH levels. Mental strain might explain changes in ACTH levels, but specific factors that might contribute to changes in melatonin le vels are unknown. These findings might be relevant to the recent debat e about the possible influence that electromagnetic and VDU environmen ts might have on electromagnetic sensitivity.