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The common cold, pattern sensitivity and contrast sensitivity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Andrew P. Smith ,
David A. J. Tyrrell ,
G. Ian Barrow ,
Peter G. Higgins ,
Susan Bull ,
Susan Trickett  and
Arnold J. Wilkins
Andrew P. Smith*
Affiliation:
Health Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff; MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury; MRC Applied Psychology Unit, Cambridge
David A. J. Tyrrell
Affiliation:
Health Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff; MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury; MRC Applied Psychology Unit, Cambridge
G. Ian Barrow
Affiliation:
Health Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff; MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury; MRC Applied Psychology Unit, Cambridge
Peter G. Higgins
Affiliation:
Health Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff; MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury; MRC Applied Psychology Unit, Cambridge
Susan Bull
Affiliation:
Health Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff; MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury; MRC Applied Psychology Unit, Cambridge
Susan Trickett
Affiliation:
Health Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff; MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury; MRC Applied Psychology Unit, Cambridge
Arnold J. Wilkins
Affiliation:
Health Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff; MRC Common Cold Unit, Salisbury; MRC Applied Psychology Unit, Cambridge
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr A. P. Smith, Health Psychology Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Wales College of Cardiff, PO Box 901, Cardiff, CF1 3YG.
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Synopsis

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Results from two studies involving challenge with respiratory syncytial viruses showed that volunteers who developed colds were more sensitive to a visually distracting pattern presented prior to virus challenge than were volunteers who did not get a cold. Volunteers with sub-clinical infections reported more illusions after virus challenge than they had done before, whereas uninfected volunteers and those with colds tended to report fewer illusions on the second test. These effects did not occur when volunteers were challenged with either a coronavirus or rhinovirus. Overall, the results confirm that behavioural measures may be related to susceptibility to subsequent illness, and that viral infections may influence visual perception. They also show that the effects vary according to the nature of the infecting agent, which agrees with results from studies looking at other aspects of behaviour.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , May 1992 , pp. 487 - 494
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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