NTL Record

Title Effects of secobarbital and d-amphetamine on tracking performance during angular acceleration.
Record ID 39239
Personal Name
Creator
Schroeder, David J.; Collins, William E.; Elam, Gary W.
Corporate Creator Civil Aeromedical Institute
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Office of Aviation Medicine
Publisher Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Publication Date 19731200
Language English
Abstract Thirty young men were randomly assigned in equal numbers to one of the following groups: placebo (lactose), secobarbital (100 mg), or d-amphetamine (10 mg). The drugs or placebo were administered in capsules in a double-blind procedure. Tests were scheduled 1, 2, and 4 hours after capsule ingestion; all tests were conducted inside a Stille-Werner rotator and were in total darkness with the exception of the illuminated tracking display. During angular acceleration, secobarbital subjects made significantly more tracking errors and had significantly more vestibular nystagmus than both the control and the d-amphetamine groups for all post-drug sessions. These findings agree with previous studies of alcohol effects: depressant drugs may have little or no deleterious influence on tracking performance in static environments, but may produce marked performance degradation during angular motion.
Rosap ID dot:21040
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/21040
TRT Terms Drugs; Drug effects; Static tests; Dynamic tests; Performance measurement; Angular acceleration; Depth perception; Distance perception; Motion perception; Visual perception; Vision; Vision tests; Night vision; Eye location; Eye fixations; Eye movements; Rotation; Experiments; Human subject testing; Heart rate; Blood pressure; Velocity
General Subjects Drugs--Physiological effect; Amphetamines; Central nervous system depressants; Central nervous system stimulants; Performance; Acceleration (Physiology); Nystagmus; Vestibular apparatus; Vestibular function tests; Vision--Testing; Night vision; Rotational motion; Heart beat; Blood pressure; Speed; Eye-hand coordination
Classification NTL - AVIATION - AVIATION;
NTL - AVIATION - Aviation Human Factors;
NTL - AVIATION - Aviation Safety/Airworthiness;
NTL - SAFETY AND SECURITY - Aviation Safety/Airworthiness
Geographical
Coverage
United States
Report Number FAA-AM-73-17; DOT/FAA/AM-73/17
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/39000/39200/39239/AM73-17.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository