Enhanced suppression of hormonal and metabolic responses to stress by application of combined spinal-epidural and general anaesthesia compared with combined spinal general anaesthesia during colorectal surgery.

The aim of the study was to determine the impact of combined spinal-epidural and general anesthesia (CSEGA) on the suppression of the hormonal and metabolic response to surgical stress and to compare it with the technique of combined spinal and general anesthesia (CSGA). Sixteen patients referred for elective colorectal surgery randomly divided into two groups on the basis of anesthesia (CSEGA and CSGA). Mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, haemoglobin saturation, serum glucose, serum cortisol and urinary catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine) were determined at four distinct peri-operative time points. During the peri-operative period the overall haemodynamic and respiratory functions in patients that received CSEGA were superior compared to those in patients that received CSGA. Biochemical analysis revealed that in the sera of patients that received CSEGA the concentration of both glucose and cortisol was elevated to a lesser degree than that observed in the sera of patients that received CSGA. Furthermore, a significant reduction in post-operative urinary catecholamine (adrenaline and noradrenaline) excretion was apparent in the CSEGA group. We conclude that CSEGA is a more suitable form of combined anaesthesia for colorectal surgery with a clear advantage of a blunted surgery-mediated neuro-endocrine stress response.

Naturally occurring and stress induced tubular structures from mammalian cells, a survival mechanism.

BACKGROUND: Tubular shaped mammalian cells in response to dehydration have not been previously reported. This may be due to the invisibility of these cells in aqueous solution, and because sugars and salts added to the cell culture for manipulation of the osmotic conditions inhibit transformation of normal cells into tubular shaped structures. RESULTS: We report the transformation of normal spherical mammalian cells into tubular shaped structures in response to stress. We have termed these transformed structures 'straw cells' which we have associated with a variety of human tissue types, including fresh, post mortem and frozen lung, liver, skin, and heart. We have also documented the presence of straw cells in bovine brain and prostate tissues of mice. The number of straw cells in heart, lung tissues, and collapsed straw cells in urine increases with the age of the mammal. Straw cells were also reproduced in vitro from human cancer cells (THP1, CACO2, and MCF7) and mouse stem cells (D1 and adipose D1) by dehydrating cultured cells. The tubular center of the straw cells is much smaller than the original cell; houses condensed organelles and have filamentous extensions that are covered with microscopic hair-like structures and circular openings. When rehydrated, the filaments uptake water rapidly. The straw cell walls, have a range of 120 nm to 200 nm and are composed of sulfated-glucose polymers and glycosylated acidic proteins. The transformation from normal cell to straw cells takes 5 to 8 hr in open-air. This process is characterized by an increase in metabolic activity. When rehydrated, the straw cells regain their normal spherical shape and begin to divide in 10 to 15 days. Like various types of microbial spores, straw cells are resistant to harsh environmental conditions such as UV-C radiation. CONCLUSION: Straw cells are specialized cellular structures and not artifacts from spontaneous polymerization, which are generated in response to stress conditions, like dehydration. The disintegrative, mobile, disruptive and ubiquitous nature of straw cells makes this a possible physiological process that may be involved in human health, longevity, and various types of diseases such as cancer.

Behavioural and glucocorticoid responses of dogs (Canis familiaris) to kennelling: Investigating mitigation of stress by prior habituation.

We have explored the validity of urinary cortisol/creatinine ratios (C/C) and behavioural measures as indicators of acute psychological stress in the domestic dog, by monitoring 1 year old male Labrador Retrievers (N=31) prior to and following their introduction to novel kennels in a training establishment. Baseline early morning urine samples were taken in the dogs' original homes and then urine samples and remote recordings of behaviour were taken for ten consecutive days after transfer to the kennels. The impact of this potential stressor was manipulated by previously habituating half of the subjects to confinement in a kennel. We hypothesised that stress levels would increase upon introduction to the training establishment, but that the response would be mitigated by kennel habituation. C/C increased in all dogs when they entered the training establishment, this increase was significantly higher in the non-habituated group, and in this group C/C remained above baseline even 12 weeks after transfer. Despite the homogeneity of the subjects, the behaviour measured showed very little correlation to the C/C ratios, and the changes in behaviour that were observed, such as decreases in whining and time spent at the front of the kennel, could equally be attributed to dogs learning the most effective strategies for gaining human attention in the kennels as to attenuation of stress. We conclude that urinary C/C is a valuable indicator of acute stress and hence welfare status in dogs, but that behavioural measures need to be interpreted with caution due to individuality in coping strategies.

Characterisation of the sympathetic nervous system of Asian (Elephas maximus) and African (Loxodonta africana) elephants based on urinary catecholamine analyses.

Assessing the welfare status of captive animals using non-invasive measurements of hormones is of growing interest because this can serve as an effective tool to facilitate the optimization of environmental and husbandry conditions. Both the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) exhibit extremely low breeding success in captivity, and because elevated levels of stress may negatively influence reproductive functions, this study sought to establish a method for assessing sympathoadrenal activity in captive female elephants. We found a circadian variation in urinary noradrenaline (norepinephrine, NE), adrenaline (epinephrine, Epi) and dopamine (DA) under short day length. Peak activity of noradrenaline and dopamine was noted at 3 a.m. Adrenaline showed a biphasic pattern with a minor peak recorded at 3 a.m. and a major peak 9 a.m. Under long-day photoperiodic conditions, simultaneous peaks of noradrenaline and adrenaline were again noted at 3 a.m. whereas dopamine does not appear to have a distinct circadian pattern under long-day length. A transfer of two elephant cows resulted in a marked increase in urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline levels, confirming that the transfer represented a stressful event. During the peripartal period, noradrenaline concentrations increased and maximum concentrations were obtained at delivery. Daily measurements of urinary dopamine throughout the follicular phase revealed an increase in dopamine secretion close to ovulation. This increase might indicate a role of dopamine in the ovulatory mechanisms. These results suggest that changes in urinary catecholamine excretion reflect fluctuations in sympathoadrenal activity and may be a useful indicator of stress.

High cognitive dietary restraint is associated with increased cortisol excretion in postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive dietary restraint (perceived ongoing effort to limit dietary intake to manage body weight) is common in women at all life stages. In young women, high dietary restraint has been associated with both increased excretion of cortisol (a stress hormone) and reduced bone mass. Whether this occurs in older women is unknown and is reported here for the first time. METHODS: Postmenopausal women (49-75 years old) with high (n = 41) or low (n = 37) dietary restraint were compared to examine differences in urinary cortisol excretion, body composition assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (bone mineral density, % body fat), dietary intake, anthropometrics, current exercise, and perceived stress. RESULTS: Women with high or low dietary restraint did not differ in age, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, energy intake, perceived stress, current exercise, or measures of body composition. However, urinary cortisol excretion was higher in the high restraint group (248.2 +/- 61.7 nmol/d vs 204.3 +/- 66.1 nmol/d; p =.01). Multiple regression analysis indicated that restraint group (high or low) independently predicted 7.6% of the variance in cortisol excretion. CONCLUSIONS: Postmenopausal women with high dietary restraint excrete more cortisol than do those with low restraint, suggesting that dietary restraint may be a source of stress. Although this was not associated with negative health effects in this sample, further investigation is warranted.

The effectiveness of a 15 minute weekly massage in reducing physical and psychological stress in nurses.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of massage therapy in reducing physiological and psychological indicators of stress in nurses employed in an acute care hospital. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Acute care hospital in Queensland. SUBJECTS: Sixty nurses were recruited to the five week study and randomly assigned to two groups. INTERVENTION: A 15 minute back massage once a week. The control group did not receive any therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic information, a life events questionnaire and a brief medical history of all participants was completed at enrolment. Physiological stress was measured at weeks one, three and five by urinary cortisol and blood pressure readings. Psychological stress levels were measured at weeks one and five with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). RESULTS: Differences in the change in urinary cortisol and blood pressure between the two groups did not reach statistical significance. However, STAI scores decreased over the five weeks for those participants who received a weekly massage. The STAI scores of the control group increased over the five week period. These differences between the groups were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that massage therapy is a beneficial tool for the health of nurses as it may reduce psychological stress levels. It is recommended that further large studies be conducted to measure the symptoms of stress rather than the physiological signs of stress in nurses.

Cortisol levels and very early pregnancy loss in humans.

Maternal stress is commonly cited as an important risk factor for spontaneous abortion. For humans, however, there is little physiological evidence linking miscarriage to stress. This lack of evidence may be attributable to a paucity of research on maternal stress during the earliest gestational stages. Most human studies have focused on "clinical" pregnancy (>6 weeks after the last menstrual period). The majority of miscarriages, however, occur earlier, within the first 3 weeks after conception (approximately 5 weeks after the last menstrual period). Studies focused on clinical pregnancy thus miss the most critical period for pregnancy continuance. We examined the association between miscarriage and levels of maternal urinary cortisol during the first 3 weeks after conception. Pregnancies characterized by increased maternal cortisol during this period (within participant analyses) were more likely to result in spontaneous abortion (P < 0.05). This evidence links increased levels in this stress marker with a higher risk of early pregnancy loss in humans.

Ziprasidone decreases cortisol excretion in healthy subjects.

AIMS: To determine the influence of the atypical antipsychotic ziprasidone on cortisol excretion. METHODS: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over design 11 healthy male subjects were studied twice for 2 consecutive nights (N1, undisturbed sleep conditions; N2, exposure to acoustic stress) 5 days apart. Placebo or ziprasidone 40 mg was administered orally 2 h before bedtime on N1 and N2. Urine was collected during three fractionated collection periods (evening; night; morning) for the later determination of cortisol concentrations by standard radioimmunoassays. RESULTS: Ziprasidone decreased the total amount of cortisol excreted by 4.9 (95% CI 3.3, 6.5) microg during N1 and by 10.8 (95% CI 5.7, 15.8) microg during N2 (P < 0.002). This effect was still detectable in the morning (P < 0.02), with decreases of 5.8 (95% CI -2.8, 14.4) microg after N1 and by 12.1 (95% CI 2.8, 21.4) microg after N2. The effect subsided in the evening. A significant intervention-condition interaction (P < 0.02), was found. The significant increase in cortisol excretion during acoustic stress observed with placebo was absent after treatment with ziprasidone. CONCLUSIONS: The significant decrease in nocturnal cortisol excretion following ziprasidone reflects a decreased activity of the HPA-axis in healthy subjects. This effect may be an important contributor to the mode of action of ziprasidone in different patient populations, particularly in the treatment of depression and in cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.

Variations of melatonin and stress hormones under extended shifts and radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation.

We studied the time-of-day variations in urinary levels of 6-sulphatoxy-melatonin and three stress hormones in operators working fast-rotating extended shifts under radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (EMR). The excretion rate of the hormones was monitored by radioimmunoassay and spectrofluorimetry at 4-hour intervals in a group of 36 male operators comprising 12 broadcasting station operators, 12 TV station operators, and a control group of 12 satellite station operators. Measuring the time-weighted average (TWA) of EMR exposure revealed a high-level of exposure in broadcasting station operators (TWAmean= 3.10 microW/ cm2, TWAmax = 137.00 microW/cm2), a low-level in TV station operators (TWAmean = 1.89 microW/cm2, TWAmax = 5.24 microW/cm2), and a very low level in satellite station operators. The differences among the groups remained the same after confounding factors were taken into account. Radiofrequency EMR had no effect on the typical diurnal pattern of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin. High-level radiofrequency EMR exposure significantly increased the excretion rates of cortisol (p < 0.001), adrenaline (p = 0.028), and noradrenaline (p < 0.000), whereas changes under low-level exposure did not reach significance. The 24-hour excretion of cortisol and noradrenaline correlated with TWAmean and TWAmax. In conclusion, the excretion of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin retained a typical diurnal pattern under fast-rotating extended shifts and radiofrequency EMR, but showed an exposure-effect relation with stress hormones.

The role of pre-operative state-anxiety in the determination of intra-operative neuroendocrine responses and recovery.

OBJECTIVES: The psychophysiological model of adjustment to surgery predicts associations between (1) heightened pre-operative state-anxiety and intra-operative neuroendocrine responses, (2) neuroendocrine responses and complications; and (3) heightened pre-operative state-anxiety and post-operative recovery. The present study examined these associations. METHODS: Participants were 39 patients (mean age 71.9+/-6.1 years) undergoing elective carotid endarterectomy surgery under local anaesthesia. In the week prior to surgery, patients completed baseline measures of physical and mental functioning using the MOS 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). In addition to this, they undertook a 24-hour urine save to measure cortisol and catecholamines. Measures of state-anxiety were completed on the evening prior to surgery. A second 24-hour urine save was started at the time of anaesthetic induction. Follow-up measures of physical and mental functioning were completed 1 month following surgery. All complications were recorded during hospitalization. RESULTS: There was a significant negative association between pre-operative state-anxiety and intra-operative cortisol (r=-.52, p

Chronic ethanol exposure does not impair urinary acidification even under stressful conditions.

BACKGROUND: Ethanol consumption is known to cause structural and functional renal damage in rat kidney. Acutely, ethanol impairs acid-base regulation, but a chronic effect on urine acidification has not been well elucidated. The aim of the present study was to assess urinary acidification in rats subjected to chronic ethanol consumption and renal function stressors, such as unilateral nephrectomy and/or metabolic acidosis. MATERIAL/METHODS: Ethanol-fed rats received aqueous ethanol 20% (v/v) as the sole drinking fluid for ten weeks. Then unilateral nephrectomy was performed and, five days later, metabolic acidosis was induced by administration of NH(4) Cl (1.5 mmol/kg body weight) twice a day for two days. The urinary acidification rate was assessed seven days after unilateral nephrectomy by determining urine pH, ammonium and titratable acid. RESULTS: Chronic ethanol consumption, with or without unilateral nephrectomy, did not change urine pH, titratable acid, or ammonium excretion. Although NH(4)Cl-induced metabolic acidosis resulted in a significant increase of the acidification rate, the changes were not significantly different between ethanol- fed and control groups. Renal (Na + K)-ATPase was enhanced by chronic ethanol consumption, as well as by unilateral nephrectomy, but not by NH(4)Cl-induced metabolic acidosis. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic ethanol consumption does not impair the urinary acidification function of the rat, even under stressful conditions, such as acid loading and/or unilateral nephrectomy. Although these data cannot be extrapolated to human settings, there is possible application when considering drinkers as potential kidney donors.

Assessment of stress levels among cats in four animal shelters.

OBJECTIVE: To measure stress levels among cats in traditional and enriched shelter environments via behavioral assessment and urine cortisol-to-creatinine ratios. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study. ANIMALS: 120 cats in 4 Boston-area animal shelters. PROCEDURE: Cats were randomly selected and observed during 3 periods (morning, midday, and afternoon) of 1 day and scored by use of a behavioral assessment scale. The next day, urine samples were collected for analysis of the urine cortisol-to-creatinine ratio. Information about each cat's background before entering the shelter was collected. RESULTS: Stress scores were highest in the morning. The relationships between the amount of time cats spent in the shelter and the cat stress score or urine cortisol-to-creatinine ratio were not strong. There was no correlation between the cat stress score and urine cortisol-to-creatinine ratio. Urine cortisol-to-creatinine ratios did correlate with signs of systemic disease and were significantly lower in cats in the more environmentally enriched shelters, compared with cats in the traditional shelters. Urine cortisol-to-creatinine ratio was highest among cats with high exposure to dogs. Of the cats in the study, 25% had subclinical hematuria detectable on a urine dipstick. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In this study, the cat stress score was not a useful instrument for measuring stress because it failed to identify cats with feigned sleep and high stress levels. Urine cortisol-to-creatinine ratios can be monitored to noninvasively assess stress levels in confined cats. Environmental enrichment strategies may help improve the welfare of cats in animal shelters.

Postoperative elevated cortisol excretion is not associated with suppression of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretion.

This study tests the hypothesis that elevated postoperative excretion of cortisol is associated with suppression of the nocturnal excretion of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, the chief metabolite of the circadian hormone, melatonin. Postoperative patients demonstrate circadian rhythm disturbances and suppression of nocturnal melatonin plasma concentration. Since the nocturnal surge in melatonin concentration in normal volunteers is time-locked to the circadian nadir of cortisol concentration, perhaps the attenuation of the nocturnal melatonin surge in postoperative patients results from prolonged elevation in the plasma cortisol concentration. In this observational study performed in 21 patients having unilateral hip or knee arthroplasty, urine was collected every 4 h for the first 48 h after surgery for measurement of urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (EIA) and free cortisol (RIA) excretion. The total (P < 0.05) and peak (P < 0.02) nocturnal 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretions were lower on the first than the second postoperative night. The nocturnal cortisol nadir preceded the 6-sulfatoxymelatonin surge in 20% of the subjects on night 1 and in 75% of the subjects on night 2. The lack of a consistent relationship between the magnitude or timing of cortisol excretion and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin excretion suggests that cortisol does not mediate postoperative 6-sulfatoxymelatonin suppression.

Adaptogenic and nootropic activities of aqueous extract of Vitis vinifera (grape seed): an experimental study in rat model.

BACKGROUND: The aerial parts of Vitis vinifera (common grape or European grape) have been widely used in Ayurveda to treat a variety of common and stress related disorders. In the present investigation, the seed extract of V. vinifera was evaluated for antistress activity in normal and stress induced rats. Furthermore, the extract was studied for nootropic activity in rats and in-vitro antioxidant potential to correlate its antistress activity. METHODS: For the evaluation of antistress activity, groups of rats (n = 6) were subjected to forced swim stress one hour after daily treatment of V. vinifera extract. Urinary vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and ascorbic acid were selected as non-invasive biomarkers to assess the antistress activity. The 24 h urinary excretion of vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and ascorbic acid were determined by spectrophotometric methods in all groups under normal and stressed conditions. The nootropic activity of the extract as determined from acquisition, retention and retrieval in rats was studied by conditioned avoidance response using Cook's pole climbing apparatus. The in vitro antioxidant activity was determined based on the ability of V. vinifera to scavenge hydroxyl radicals. RESULTS: Daily administration of V. vinifera at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight one hour prior to induction of stress inhibited the stress induced urinary biochemical changes in a dose dependent manner. However, no change in the urinary excretion of VMA and ascorbic acid was observed in normal animals at all the doses studied. The cognition, as determined by the acquisition, retention and recovery in rats was observed to be dose dependent. The extract also produced significant inhibition of hydroxyl radicals in comparison to ascorbic acid in a dose dependent manner. CONCLUSION: The present study provides scientific support for the antistress (adaptogenic), antioxidant and nootropic activities of V. vinifera seed extract and substantiate the traditional claims for the usage of grape fruits and seeds in stress induced disorders.

Urinary corticosterone levels in mice in response to intraperitoneal injections with saline.

The concept of refinement is an important issue in the field of laboratory animal science. Refinement-based research aims to improve animal welfare, to increase the reliability of experimental outcome, and to diminish variation. In search of refinement of experimental techniques, this study investigated whether urinary corticosterone can be used as a noninvasive measure of acute stress in mice.

Gender and ethnic differences in urinary stress hormones: the population-based Chicago Health, Aging, and Social Relations Study.

Gender and ethnic disparities in cardiovascular disease and mortality have spurred interest in the epidemiology of stress hormone production. Greater disease burden among men and blacks raises the possibility of gender and ethnic differences in stress hormone production. The purpose of this study was to determine whether urinary stress hormones were higher among men and blacks in a population-based sample. Urinary hormone analysis permits a time-integrated assessment of the stress response system. However, differences in collection and standardization strategies have led to inconsistent findings. Subjects were an ethnically diverse population-based sample of 229 men and women aged 50-67 yr who provided an overnight urine specimen. Urine concentration was standardized using a traditional creatinine-based approach as well as a new method that accounts for muscle mass. With the use of creatinine standardization, no gender or ethnic differences were noted in epinephrine or cortisol production. Norepinephrine levels were higher among women compared with men (P = 0.001), however. After accounting for muscle mass, we found that both epinephrine (P = 0.018) and norepinephrine (P = 0.033) levels were higher among men compared with women. No significant differences in cortisol production were found by gender or ethnicity. The consistency of these results with previous studies of 24-h urine samples suggests muscle mass should be accounted for when comparing overnight urinary hormone values across gender and ethnicity.

The 24-h urinary cortisol/cortisone ratio for monitoring training in elite swimmers.

PURPOSE: The effect of training variations on 24-h urinary cortisol/cortisone (C/Cn) ratio was investigated in highly trained swimmers to determine whether it could be a good marker of training stress and performance. METHODS: Fourteen swimmers (five female and nine male) were tested after 4 wk of intense training (IT), 3 wk of reduced training (RT), and 5 wk of moderate training (MT). At the end of each period, the swimmers performed in their best event at an official competition. Individual performances were expressed as a percentage of the previous season's best performance. The fatigue state was evaluated with a questionnaire. RESULTS: The C/Cn ratio was statistically different for the three periods (IT: 1.10 +/- 0.7, RT: 0.64 +/- 0.3, and MT: 0.57 +/- 0.2). The differences in the C/Cn ratio between two consecutive performances were related to the differences in performance (r = -0.52, P < 0.01), and the C/Cn ratio was significantly related to the total training (r = 0.32, P < 0.05) and total score of fatigue (TSF) (r = 0.35, P < 0.03) over the follow-up period. Cn levels were related to the dryland training (r = -0.46; P < 0.01) and TSF (r = -0.40; P < 0.02). During IT, variations in the C/Cn ratio were related to the changes in the mean intensity (r = -0.67; P < 0.02) and to TSF (r = 0.69; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The 24-h C/Cn ratio was moderately related to both training and performance whereas Cn levels were only related to training. The C/Cn ratio could be a useful indicator for monitoring the overreaching state in elite swimmers.

Determination of corticosterone and 17-hydroxycorticosterone in plasma and urine samples by sweeping techniques using micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

The analysis of corticosterone in mouse blood serum (metabolic-stress experiment) and 17-hydroxycorticosterone in human urine (exercise-stress experiment) samples by means of capillary electrophoresis/UV absorbance in conjunction with online sample concentration techniques is described. The use of normal MEKC had an analyte detection limit of 7 microg/ml (S/N=3); whereas when online sample concentration methods, including sweeping-micellar electrokinetic chromatography (Sweeping-MEKC) and cation-selective exhaustive injection-sweep-micellar electrokinetic chromatography (CSEI-sweep-MEKC) were used, the detection limits could be improved to 3 and 5 ng/ml, respectively. In the analysis of actual samples from animal metabolic-stress experiments (39 mouse), chronically stressed animals showed a higher level (552+/-152 ng/ml) and acute stressed animals showed an intermediate level (375+/-105 ng/ml). In comparison, normal animals show a lower concentration level of corticosterone (153+/-109 ng/ml). In addition, based on a human exercise-stress experiment (seven volunteers), the acute stressed humans (after exercise, 800 m of running) show a higher concentration of 17-hydroxycorticosterone (113+/-55 ng/ml for males; 128+/-25 for females) and the non-stressed humans (before exercise) show a lower concentration (63+/-37 ng/ml for male; 60+/-20 for female), respectively.

Effects of taurine supplementation on VDT work induced visual stress.

In order to evaluate the effects of dietary taurine supplementation on visual fatigue induced by visual display terminals (VDT) work, 25 male college students aged from 20 to 24 years who were not engaged in VDT work were selected to participate in the study. Volunteers were randomly assigned to either the taurine supplementation (n=13) or the placebo supplementation control group (n=12). Before and after 12 days of taurine (3 g/day) or placebo supplementation, two identical 2.5-hr VDT work tests were performed while recording the P100, N75 and N145 latencies and P100 amplitude of pattern visual evoked potential (PVEP) and the frequency of critical flicker fusion (CFF). Following 2.5-hr of VDT work, the P100 and N75 latencies of PVEP increased ( P<0.01) while the P100 amplitude decreased significantly ( P<0.01). The frequency of CFF also reduced significantly ( P<0.01). After 12 days of taurine supplementation, the reduction in P100 amplitude after VDT work alleviated significantly ( P<0.05). The results suggest that taurine supplementation alleviates visual fatigue induced by VDT work.