EXPOSURE TO NIGHT WORK - SERUM GASTRIN REACTIONS, PSYCHOSOMATIC COMPLAINTS AND PERSONALITY-VARIABLES

Seventeen dayworking railway repair men were subjected to a 3 wk period of night work. Before, during and after the night work period blood samples were obtained which were analyzed with respect to gastrin content. Self-ratings of psychosomatic complaints concerning sleep, mood, gastric functioning and other problems were obtained for corresponding weeks. The subjects [Ss] also filled out the Eysenck Personality Inventory scales of neuroticism and extraversion. Gastrin levels decreased during the night work period but returned to former levels afterwards although the variance of the latter was greatly increased. Psychosomatic complaints increased during night work weeks. Correlation analysis showed that decreases in gastrin levels was associated with increases in psychosomatic complaints. The decrease in gastrin levels was found mainly among Ss who had exhibited a higher degree of neuroticism before entering night work.