EFFECT OF ACCELERATION STRESS ON SALIVARY CORTISOL AND PLASMA-CORTISOL AND TESTOSTERONE LEVELS IN CADET PILOTS

The effects of acceleration (G(z)) on changes in the levels of cortiso l in saliva and of cortisol and testosterone in serum have been studie d in 48 cadet pilots exposed to a linear acceleration gradient (0.2 G/ s) until a loss of coordinating when the mean G value was found to be 5.94+/-0.57. Three patterns of salivary cortisol responses were discer ned based on G(z)-induced significant changes: increase (I; n = 20), d ecrease (D; n = 8), the magnitude of changes being dependent on the pr e-G(z) values. Fifteen min after the G load, the mean salivary cortiso l was significantly higher from the pre-G(z) value in all subjects com bined. In 19 subjects, who consented to blood sampling, significant in creases in serum cortisol were observed both 3 and 15 min post-G(z) (b y 37 and 57% respectively) while, a significant increase in serum test osterone concentration has been observed only 3 min post-G(z). Testost erone levels 3 min post-G(z) were significantly correlated with the fi nal G(z) values (r = 0.54; p<0.05). A significant correlation was also observed between all salivary and serum cortisol values combined (r = 0.696; p<0.001). It has been concluded that acceleration stress, alth ough of very short duration, proved very potent in eliciting glucocort icoid and androgen responses.