Interhemispheric asymmetry as a cerebral basis of psychopathology in remote period after radiation exposure due the Chernobyl accident
Author: Loganovsky K N, Antipchuk Ekaterina Yu, Bomko Maria A, Denisyuk N V, Loganovskaja T K, Chuprovskaya N Yu, Yuryev K L, Zdorenko Leonid L
Reference: Український медичний часопис (Ukrainian Medical Magazine), 2006
Keywords: interhemispheric brain asymmetry, psychopathology, ionizing radiation, Chernobyl accident, neurophysiology, neuropsychology, ultrasonic dopplerography, magnetic resonance imaging
Abstract: The goal of the study was to recognize the interhemispheric asymmetry effects in appearance of psychopathology in Chernobyl accident’s survivors. Psychometric, neurophysiological, neuropsychological methods were used for assessment of the persons who had been diagnosed with Acute Radiation Sickness (ARS), clean-up workers (liquidators), prenatally exposed children, and relevant comparison and control groups. Also the ultrasonic dopplerography and magnetic resonance imaging with their qualitative and quantitative estimations were done. It was revealed that the damage of the left, dominant, hemisphere is characteristic for the ARS-patients, liquidators exposed to more than 0.3 Sv and prenatally exposed children. The structural and functional features of radiation brain damage consists of the reduction of the systolic circulation in the left internal carotid artery, pathology of cerebral cortex, subcortical structures, neuronal pathways and cortical-limbic system of the dominant hemisphere. This cerebral pathology is the cause of negative psychopathological symptoms, cognitive disorders, depression, and personality changes that are typical in remote period of Chernobyl accident for the liquidators exposed to more than 0.3 Sv and prenatally exposed children.