SYMPATHOADRENAL RESPONSE TO GRAVITATIONAL STRESS*

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Abstract
Subjects were centrifuged in a human centrifuge, urine was collected before and after centrifugation, and bioassayed for adrenaline and noradrenaline. The urinary output of adrenaline and noradrenaline was correlated to the G tolerance of the subject and to various G exposures. It was found that the adrenaline output was increased before centrifugation as well as during and immediately after centrifugation. This increased adrenaline release was shown to be largely related to the emotions, i.e., anxiety associated with the anticipation of being centrifuged, rather than to the physiologic changes produced by centrifugation. The output of noradrenaline was elevated only during centrifugation and during the period immediately following centrifugation. This increased noradrenaline output appeared to be dependent upon the physical stress imposed by centrifugation and had no direct relationship to the G tolerance of the subject.