Effects and after-effects of the common cold and influenza on human performance

• Published in: Neuropsychobiology Vol. 21; no. 2; p. 90
• Main Authors: Smith, A P, Tyrrell, D A, al-Nakib, W, Barrow, P G, Higgins, P G, Leekam, S, Trickett, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 01.01.1989
• Subjects: Adult; Arousal; Attention; Common Cold - psychology; Female; Humans; Influenza A virus - pathogenicity; Influenza, Human - psychology; Male; Middle Aged; Neurocognitive Disorders - psychology; Psychomotor Performance; Reaction Time; Rhinovirus - pathogenicity

Volunteers who develop a cold following virus challenge were significantly slower on choice reaction time tasks than those with no illness. This effect was still observed after the clinical symptoms had gone. In contrast to this, influenza illnesses only impaired performance in tasks in which subjec...