Reactivity and recovery from different types of work measured by catecholamines and cortisol: a systematic literature overview

Objectives-To review occupational health, laboratory, and sports Literature on neuroendocrine reactivity and recovery from mental, combined mental and physical, or physical tasks. Methods-A systematic literature search was performed in eight databases. St udies with catecholamines or cortisol as effect variables measured in blood , urine, or saliva were included. Results-After application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 77 studies f rom the initial 559 identified were taken into account. In occupational set tings it was found that relatively few studies were conclusive about recove ry, which formed a contrast with sports research. For reactivity and recove ry up to 1 hour after performing the task, half of the studies considered p hysical tasks and more than two thirds showed incomplete recovery compared with baseline excretion of catecholamines and cortisol. Recovery extending to 3 days after the task was performed was often incomplete for cortisol af ter combined mentally and physically demanding tasks, and less often after solely mental or physical tasks. This type of recovery was more often incom plete for adrenaline (epinephrine) than for noradrenaline (norepinephrine), which was the case after mental as well as combined mental and physical ta sks. Conclusions-The results from lab oratory and sports research may be transfe rable to some occupations, but more research is needed on the course of rec overy relative to health effects in occupational settings.