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Barbara Griefahn

Bio: Barbara Griefahn is an academic researcher from Technical University of Dortmund. The author has contributed to research in topics: Noise & Annoyance. The author has an hindex of 30, co-authored 118 publications receiving 3307 citations.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Using the modified model the accordingly predicted percentage of people annoyed by draught agreed highly with the percentage actually observed (r =0.726, p <0.001), it is suggested that it should substitute the model proposed in ISO 7730 [1994].
Abstract: During 826, 1-h sessions 107 participants (33 women, 74 men, 18-51 years of age) were exposed to defined draughts where air velocity (0.1 ≤ V a ≤ 0.4 m s -1), turbulence intensity ( 70%), draught direction (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), air temperature (11 ≤ t a ≤ 23°C), and metabolic rate (≈ 60 ≤ M ≤ 156 W m -2) were varied but kept constant during single sessions. Perception and evaluation (annoyance due to draught and local cold) were registered using a list of prescribed body parts. Annoyance due to draught increased with the increase in mean air velocity and in turbulence intensity, as well as with the decrease in air temperature and in metabolic rate. The direction of air flow had no influence. As these responses were neither sufficiently predicted by the draught-rating model proposed in ISO 7730 (1994), nor by its extension developed by Toftum (1994a), the latter was modified according to the data registered in this paper. Using the modified model the accordingly predicted percentage ...

24 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results suggest N2e reflects the comparison process and N2l the inhibition of an irrelevant response representation improve with practice, suggesting both processes improved with practice.
Abstract: Comparison of an incoming stimulus with a memory template and the inhibition of an irrelevant response representation assumes these are separable processes differently affected by practice. Practice effects were studied in a visual Go-Nogo task which contained stimuli either compatible or incompatible with a response. Eight participants (19–28 years old, M = 23.3, SD = 3.6) performed the task with simultaneous EEG recording every morning during three consecutive weeks except weekends. Short-term, long-term, as well as weekday effects were analyzed. As a short-term effect, the false alarm rate became smaller; this was accompanied by an enhancement of the frontal N2 component of the event-related potential (ERP). As a long-term effect, the shortening of reaction time to incompatible stimuli and increase of the blink rate for Go trials was observed. Within the N2 two subcomponents, the early (N2e) and late (N2l) could be distinguished. N2e and N2l varied differently with the experimental manipulations. First...

24 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The findings generally justified the conclusion that there is no urgent need to modify the four scales of the NoiSeQ and that the classification of the items as well as the claimed interdependencies between the scales can be maintained.
Abstract: The Noise Sensitivity Questionnaire (NoiSeQ) aims at the measurement of global noise sensitivity as well as the sensitivity for five domains of everyday life namely 'Leisure', 'Work', 'Habitation', 'Communication' and 'Sleep'. The present investigation examined the factorial validity of the NoiSeQ to determine whether the items of the NoiSeQ cover the different factors as assumed. The analysis was done using the method of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The linear structural model took into consideration only the scales of the NoiSeQ for which reliability could be demonstrated, namely, 'Sleep', 'Communication', 'Habitation' and 'Work'. The linear structural model presumed that each of the 28 items has a relation only to one corresponding factor. Furthermore, the model allowed for correlations between the four factors. The data base encompassed 293 persons. Parameter estimation was based on the General Least Square method. The data was checked with respect to the occurrence of multivariate outliers, deviation from multivariate normality and existing collinearities. The data met the overall requirements of a CFA. The evaluation of model fit was based on the relative chi2 -value, the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation, the Goodness of Fit Index, the Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index and the Root Mean Square Residual. All fit indices indicated an acceptable match of the model. As the postulated structure of the NoiSeQ was consistent with the empirical data, the classification of the items as well as the claimed interdependencies between the scales can be maintained. The regression weights of all items as well as the correlations between the latent variables were statistically significant. The estimated reliability of the latent variables took values of >/=0.84. The findings generally justified the conclusion that there is no urgent need to modify the four scales of the NoiSeQ thus, indicating the factorial validity of the NoiSeQ.

24 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors measured the impact of road and rail traffic noise on the psychological and acoustical factors of sleep and body movements of about 400 persons in four areas exposed either to railway or road traffic noise.

23 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: The annoyance-reaction is one of the central variables in noise research and different scales of how noise annoyance can be measured are shown, and it is argued that annoyance judgements are based on an internal representation of the noise situation.
Abstract: The annoyance-reaction is one of the central variables in noise research After an introduction to different concepts and definitions of noise annoyance different scales of how noise annoyance can be measured are shown The question is discussed whether disturbance effects of noise at different times of day are given To clarify this problem, the results of a series of actual German noise studies are reported In these studies differences between day- and night­time annoyance are found depending on the sound sources For the case of road traffic noise no differences between day and night-time annoyance were found In contrast, annoyance reactions are related to the time of day for railway and air traffic noise Especially for aircraft noise, above a Leq of 50 dB(A) night-time annoyance rises faster than day-time annoyance The effects are discussed in the frame of a cognitive model of noise annoyance It is argued that annoyance judgments are based on an internal representation of the noise situation Part of this representation are the event characteristics of the sound sources and their estimated impacts for disturbances at different times of day

23 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The importance of adequate noise prevention and mitigation strategies for public health is stressed, as Observational and experimental studies have shown that noise exposure leads to annoyance, disturbs sleep and causes daytime sleepiness.

1,189 citations

01 Jan 2013
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors stress the importance of adequate noise prevention and mitigation strategies for public health and stress that noise exposure leads to annoyance, disturbs sleep and causes daytime sleepiness, aff ects patient outcomes and staff performance in hospitals, increases the occurrence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and impairs cognitive performance in schoolchildren.
Abstract: Noise is pervasive in everyday life and can cause both auditory and non-auditory health eff ects. Noise-induced hearing loss remains highly prevalent in occupational settings, and is increasingly caused by social noise exposure (eg, through personal music players). Our understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in noise-induced haircell and nerve damage has substantially increased, and preventive and therapeutic drugs will probably become available within 10 years. Evidence of the non-auditory eff ects of environmental noise exposure on public health is growing. Observational and experimental studies have shown that noise exposure leads to annoyance, disturbs sleep and causes daytime sleepiness, aff ects patient outcomes and staff performance in hospitals, increases the occurrence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and impairs cognitive performance in schoolchildren. In this Review, we stress the importance of adequate noise prevention and mitigation strategies for public health.

942 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review of the psychometric properties and validity of CT measures as well as individual, environmental and genetic factors that influence the circadian typology provides a state of the art discussion to allow professionals to integrate chronobiological aspects of human behavior into their daily practice.
Abstract: The interest in the systematic study of the circadian typology (CT) is relatively recent and has developed rapidly in the two last decades. All the existing data suggest that this individual difference affects our biological and psychological functioning, not only in health, but also in disease. In the present study, we review the current literature concerning the psychometric properties and validity of CT measures as well as individual, environmental and genetic factors that influence the CT. We present a brief overview of the biological markers that are used to define differences between CT groups (sleep-wake cycle, body temperature, cortisol and melatonin), and we assess the implications for CT and adjustment to shiftwork and jet lag. We also review the differences between CT in terms of cognitive abilities, personality traits and the incidence of psychiatric disorders. When necessary, we have emphasized the methodological limitations that exist today and suggested some future avenues of work in order to overcome these. This is a new field of interest to professionals in many different areas (research, labor, academic and clinical), and this review provides a state of the art discussion to allow professionals to integrate chronobiological aspects of human behavior into their daily practice.

936 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is proposed that brain disorders and abnormal sleep have a common mechanistic origin and that many co-morbid pathologies that are found in brain disease arise from a destabilization of sleep mechanisms.
Abstract: Sleep and circadian rhythm disruption are frequently observed in patients with psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative disease. The abnormal sleep that is experienced by these patients is largely assumed to be the product of medication or some other influence that is not well defined. However, normal brain function and the generation of sleep are linked by common neurotransmitter systems and regulatory pathways. Disruption of sleep alters sleep-wake timing, destabilizes physiology and promotes a range of pathologies (from cognitive to metabolic defects) that are rarely considered to be associated with abnormal sleep. We propose that brain disorders and abnormal sleep have a common mechanistic origin and that many co-morbid pathologies that are found in brain disease arise from a destabilization of sleep mechanisms. The stabilization of sleep may be a means by which to reduce the symptoms of--and permit early intervention of--psychiatric and neurodegenerative disease.

864 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Melatonin is principally secreted at night and is centrally involved in sleep regulation, as well as in a number of other cyclical bodily activities, and its sleep-facilitating properties have been found to be useful for treating insomnia symptoms in elderly and depressive patients.
Abstract: Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule and widely distributed in nature, with functional activity occurring in unicellular organisms, plants, fungi and animals. In most vertebrates, including humans, melatonin is synthesized primarily in the pineal gland and is regulated by the environmental light/dark cycle via the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Pinealocytes function as 'neuroendocrine transducers' to secrete melatonin during the dark phase of the light/dark cycle and, consequently, melatonin is often called the 'hormone of darkness'. Melatonin is principally secreted at night and is centrally involved in sleep regulation, as well as in a number of other cyclical bodily activities. Melatonin is exclusively involved in signaling the 'time of day' and 'time of year' (hence considered to help both clock and calendar functions) to all tissues and is thus considered to be the body's chronological pacemaker or 'Zeitgeber'. Synthesis of melatonin also occurs in other areas of the body, including the retina, the gastrointestinal tract, skin, bone marrow and in lymphocytes, from which it may influence other physiological functions through paracrine signaling. Melatonin has also been extracted from the seeds and leaves of a number of plants and its concentration in some of this material is several orders of magnitude higher than its night-time plasma value in humans. Melatonin participates in diverse physiological functions. In addition to its timekeeping functions, melatonin is an effective antioxidant which scavenges free radicals and up-regulates several antioxidant enzymes. It also has a strong antiapoptotic signaling function, an effect which it exerts even during ischemia. Melatonin's cytoprotective properties have practical implications in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Melatonin also has immune-enhancing and oncostatic properties. Its 'chronobiotic' properties have been shown to have value in treating various circadian rhythm sleep disorders, such as jet lag or shift-work sleep disorder. Melatonin acting as an 'internal sleep facilitator' promotes sleep, and melatonin's sleep-facilitating properties have been found to be useful for treating insomnia symptoms in elderly and depressive patients. A recently introduced melatonin analog, agomelatine, is also efficient for the treatment of major depressive disorder and bipolar affective disorder. Melatonin's role as a 'photoperiodic molecule' in seasonal reproduction has been established in photoperiodic species, although its regulatory influence in humans remains under investigation. Taken together, this evidence implicates melatonin in a broad range of effects with a significant regulatory influence over many of the body's physiological functions.

842 citations