Psychophysiological characteristics in the ChNPP accident clean-up workers, exclusion zone evacuees and anti-terrorist operation servicemen

Abstract

Object and methods. Psychometric and neurophysiological parameters were reviewed in the study subjects retrospectively and in comparison. Study population included the ChNPP accident clean-up workers (ACUW), evacuees from the 30-kilometer exclusion zone, specifically in a sample from a cohort of the NRCRM Clinical-Epidemiological Register (n=316), and anti-terrorist operation servicemen (n=81) undergoing rehabilitation in the NRCRM Radiation psychoneurology department. A control group of persons (n=84) was also involved in the study. Diagnostic methodology for the characteristic personality features, namely the personality test of character accentuation by G. Shmishek and K. Leonhard, and Eysenck Personality Inventory (by H. J. Eysenck) were applied. Computer EEGs were registered and analyzed on the 16-channel electroencephalograph DX-4000 (Kharkiv, Ukraine). Results. In the aftermath of the emergency period, a personality deformation occurs in the clean-up workers and survivors of the ChNPP accident, which is characterized by aggravation of such personality traits as jam (fixedness), emotiveness, pedantry, anxiety, cyclothymia, excitability and disthymia, with diminished hyperthymia and ostentation (demonstrability). Increased incidence of fixedness, pedantry, cyclothymia, affectability and disthymia with decreased hyperthymia were revealed in the group of ATO participants. Cerebral bioelectrical activity in the ChNPP ACUW was characterized by an increased delta activity power with decreased beta and theta activity power and dominant frequency in comparison with all groups of survivors and control group. The ATO group was different from groups of survivors and control group with a lower power of delta, theta and beta activity, and a higher dominant frequency. Introversion featured a negative correlation with delta and theta activity index along with positive correlation with alpha activity index. The absolute spectral power of beta, alpha and theta bands positively correlated with introversion. Increase in neuroticism featured a decrease in theta activity index and an increase in beta activity index along with decreased theta and delta band absolute spectral power. Conclusions. There is a deformation of personality in the group of ChNPP ACUW, evacuees from the 30-kilometer zone and ATO servicemen. Deformation of personality correlates with abnormal cerebral bioelectrical activity.