[Effect of cystamine on the performance of human operators]

The performance of the man-operator was evaluated by means of an electronic recorder of tracking processes during administration of cystamine at a dose of 1.2 g. Capacity for work varied during 24 hours: it decreased by 25% at 12.00--14.00 (i.e. on the 2nd--4th working hour). Cystamine did not influence the pattern of reference variations of capacity for work and slightly increased the decline of the quality of the operator's work. An analysis of changes in the scattering of tracking errors showed that the adverse effect of cystamine on work capacity strongly influenced the mode of operation with the control system in which the scattering of tracking errors increased 3-fold.