Antenatal exposure following the Chernobyl accident: neuropsychiatric aspects
Author: Igumnov S.A., Drozdovitch V.V.
Reference: International Journal of Radiation Medicine. — 2004. — Vol. 6, № 1–4. — P. 108–115.
Keywords: contaminated areas, slightly contaminated areas, neuropsychiatry and psychological examinations
Abstract: Ten years follow-up investigation of intellectual development of 250 persons from Belarus exposed in utero following the Chernobyl accident and a control group of 250 persons from non- and slightly contaminated regions has been conducted. Neuropsychiatry and psychological examinations were performed among persons of both groups at the age of 6-7, 10-12,and 15-16 years. Mean antenatal internal dose to thyroid arising from the intake of 131I among persons of exposed group is 390±550 mGy (maximal dose – 4100 mGy),in control group – 35±65 mGy. Mean antenatal external dose among persons of exposed group is 10±13 mGy,maximal dose – 91 mGy. At the age of 6-7 years the persons in the exposed group had a mean Full Scale IQ lower than the control group (89.6±10.2 vs 92.1±10.5,p=0.007). At the age of 10-12 years there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (94.3±10.4 vs 95.8±10.9,p=0.117).
Positive dynamics of intellectual development in persons of both groups has been observed up to age of 15-16 years (98.7±10.2 è 99.5±10.5,p=0.171). No statistically significant correlation was found in exposed group between individual thyroid dose as well as individual antenatal external dose and IQ at the different ages. In both groups we notice a positive moderate correlation between IQ of persons and the educational level of their parents. We conclude that probably a significant role in the genesis of borderline intellectual functioning and emotional disorders in the exposed group of persons was played by unfavorable social-psychological and social-cultural factors. (full text in English and Russian available on web)