Increased secretion of growth hormone, prolactin, antidiuretic hormone, and cortisol induced by the stress of motion sickness.

The stress of motion sickness was experimentally provoked by Coriolis effect. Significant and reproducible increases from the basal serum level (delta mean +/- S.E.) of antidiuretic hormone delta - ADH: 48.2 +/- 4.6 pg/ml; p less than 0.0005), of growth hormone (delta - hGH: 10.0 +/- 1.2 ng/ml; p less than 0.0005), of prolactin (delta - hPRL: 186.5 +/- 29.9 muU/ml; p less than 0.0005), and of cortisol (delta - F; 12.3 +/- 0.9 microgram%; p less than 0.0005) were observed, whereas the luteinizing hormone levels did not change significantly. The stimulation of hormone secretion induced by different degrees of motion sickness seems to correlate with the severity of motion sickness. The secretion of antidiuretic hormones is the most sensitive indicator for the stress of motion sickness whereas growth hormone, prolactin, and cortisol responses to the stress of motion sickness are more delayed and less pronounced.