Sick-building syndrome fatigue as a possible predation defense

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Neuroscience
• Occupational Medicine

Background:

• Sick building syndrome (SBS) presents with fatigue, headaches, and respiratory issues, often linked to modern buildings with poor ventilation.
• Contaminated indoor air quality and specific pollutants are primary suspected causes of SBS.
• Olfactory perception was crucial for survival in human ancestors, aiding in predator detection and environmental hazard avoidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel hypothesis for the fatigue experienced in sick building syndrome.
• To explore the potential role of trigeminal nerve reflexes in response to poor air quality.
• To link evolutionary survival mechanisms to modern indoor environmental health issues.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on sick building syndrome and olfactory reflexes.
• Analysis of the trigeminal nerve's role in sensory irritation and behavioral responses.
• Hypothetical modeling of evolutionary survival instincts in contemporary settings.

Main Results:

• Poor air quality can irritate nasal trigeminal nerve endings.
• This irritation may trigger inhibitory reflexes, discouraging activity.
• These reflexes, potentially a vestigial survival mechanism, could manifest as fatigue in SBS.

Conclusions:

• Fatigue in sick building syndrome may be a human manifestation of ancient protective reflexes against contaminated air.
• Understanding these neuro-sensory responses could offer new perspectives on managing SBS.
• Further research is warranted to validate the link between air quality, trigeminal nerve stimulation, and SBS-related fatigue.