Circadian Rhythms and Stress Under Different CO2-Concentrations and and Confinement Conditions. Monitoring of Activity-Rest Cycle Under Differend CO2-Concentrations and Confinement Conditions.

Abstract

The problem of elevated CO2-levels in the atmosphere of space ve- hicles (and potentially aircrafts) on physiological and psychologi- cal functioning was investigated in the baro-chamber TITAN of the institute. Under a contract of ESA and NASA and the auspices of DARA, the first phase of the project was started with a CO2-level of 0.7%. Four volunteers underwent different experimental procedures over a period of 26 days in the chamber. Within the frame of this study, two experiments were performed in order to evaluate the effect of eleva-ted CO2-levels and confinement. The first one examined whether circa-dian rhythmicity and stress, the other one whether the activity-rest cycle was altered by the experimental conditions of the study. During the first phase of this project, preliminary results from the two experiments did not show substantial changes in the investigated pa- rameters when compared with control data of the same subjects recor- ded in AMSAN prior to the experimental period in TITAN. Final conclu-sions can be drawn after completion of the second phase.