Effect of Chronic Noise Stress on Neutrophil Functions in Rats

Today technology and rapid industrialization has thrown up a new and rapidly spreading environmental pollutant – Noise. Nowadays, noise has become the most commonly encountered stressor in our daily lives. When noise intensity that we are exposed to exceeds 90dB, then it becomes a stressor. Depending on the frequency, intensity and duration of exposure noise affects the body in different ways. Exposure to noise of high intensity causes hearing loss, damage to hair cells and affects the auditory cortex [1]. Chronic noise stress affects the extra-auditory system by causing hypertension [2], duodenal ulcers [3], behavioural disturbances [4] and alters the immune system [5]. Though noise is known to affect almost all the systems of the body, so far very few studies have been done on the effect of noise stress on neutrophil functions. As we are all exposed to noise in our daily lives we found it highly relevant to study the effect of chronic noise exposure on neutrophil functions which are the first line of defence and on haematological parameters in albino rats.