FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-66/14

Title and Subtitle: Problems in aviation personnel: Influence of a tranquilizer on temperature regulation in man.

Report Date: May 1966

Authors: Iampietro PF, Fiorica V, Dille JR, Higgins EA, Funkhouser G, Moses R

Abstract: The effects of a tranquilizing drug of the propaediol group, meprobamate, on thermal balance of men exposed to a cold (50F, 10C), hot (110F, 43.3C), or neutral (80F, 26.7C) environment have been investigated. Results show that a single dose of meprobamate (800 mg) has no effect on temperature regulation of men resting in a neutral environment.

During exposure to hot or cold environments, however, the drug groups showed impairment in thermal balance. In the cold, heat production and core temperature of the drug group were lower than the placebo group. In the heat, only moderate elevations in the core temperatures of the drug group were detected. Possible physiological mechanisms responsible for these differences are discussed.

Key Words: aviation personnel, body temperature, tranquilizers, environmental tests, heat production (biology), aviation safety.

No. of Pages: 10