Radiation Medicine Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2018. Vol. 63. No. 4. P. 22-32

DOI: 10.12737/article_5b83b2c325ab83.22603621

Impact of Chernobyl Accident Factors on Psychoneurological Status of Liquidators - Helicopter-pilots

I.B. Ushakov, V.P. Fyodorov

A.I. Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

I.B. Ushakov - Chief Researcher, Dr. Sc. Med., Prof., Academician of the RAS; V.P. Fyodorov - Dr. Sc. Med., Prof.

Abstract

There was a study of the health status (with emphasis on psychoneurological status) of crew on military helicopters and aircraft before and after the execution of works on liquidation of consequences of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, and received a radiation dose of 226 ± 6 mGy. We studied the results of a poll of the liquidators for the purpose of studying their quality of life 10 years after the accident. The obtained data were compared with the results of radiobiological experiments on animals irradiated at doses comparable to that received by the liquidators. The results of the study concluded that, in assessing psychoneurological status of the liquidators of radiation accidents, it is necessary to take into account the initial state of their health and the whole complex of adverse factors of the Chernobyl accident, and not just the external exposure dose. The main measures of prevention of psychoneurological disorders in liquidators should become: a professional selection of volunteers, who know the basics of radiobiology; professional medical-psychological service; the creation of appropriate socio-hygienic conditions and proportional to the risk faced by the liquidators and their families; reducing the level the harmful and dangerous work-related factors of flight operations, as well as prevention (and it seems important) incorporation into the body of long-lived radionuclides.

Key words: Chernobyl accident, radiation, liquidators, helicopter-pilots, morbidity, psychoneurological status, psychosocial status

REFERENCES

1. Grigoriev YuG, Shafirkin AV, Nikitina VN. Remote effects of chronic exposure to ionizing radiation and electromagnetic fields in relation to hygienic regulation. Radiobiology. 2003;43(5):565-78. Russian.
2. Bushmanov AYu. The action of ionizing radiation on human beings: medical and socio-psychological implications. IV Congress on radiation researches (Moscow, 2001): abstracts. Moscow; 2001. Vol. 1. 182 p. Russian.
3. Davydov ВI, Ushakov ВN. Nuclear and radiation risks: human, society and the environment. Ushakov IB, editor. St. Petersburg: Foliant; 2005. 294 p. Russian.
4. Ushakov IВ, Arlashchenko NI, Soldatov SK. Human Ecology after the Chernobyl disaster: Radiation Environmental Stress and Human Health. Voronezh: VSU publishing House; 2001. 723 p. Russian.
5. Guskova AK. Radiation and human brain. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2001;46(5):47-55. Russian.
6. Torubarov FS, Blagoveshchenskaya VV, Chesalin PV. The state of the nervous system in victims of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident. J Neurology and Psychiatry. 1989;89(2):48-52. Russian.
7. Gundarova OP. Fedorov VP, Afanasiev RV, Zuev VG. Evaluation of psychoneurological status of liquidators of radiation accidents. Voronezh: “Scientific book”; 2012. 232 p. Russian.
8. Fedorov VP, Gundarova OP, Maslov NB. Psychoneurological status of liquidators of radiatior accidents. Biological effects of low doses of ionizing radiation and radioactive contamination of the environment: Mater. International Conf. (BioRad, 2014). Syktyvkar; 2014. p. 258-62. Russian.
9. Nikiforov AM, Aleksanin SS, Chugunova LN. Peculiarities of psychological status and medical and psychological rehabilitation of participants of emergency - recovery work at the Chernobyl NPP. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2002;47(5):43-50. Russian.
10. Buzunov VA. The main results and tasks of epidemiological studies of medical consequences of the Chernobyl accident (results of 4 year study period). Vestnik AMS 1991;(11):36-9. Russian.
11. Kholodova NB. Changes in the central nervous system of the liquidators of the Chernobyl accident (according to the clinic and x-ray computer tomography). J Neurology and Psychiatry. 1993;93(4):74-7. Russian.
12. Aleksanin SS. Pathogenetic laws of somatic pathology formation after radiation accidents in the long-term period. Bull Military Medical Academy. 2008;23(3):10-3. Russian.
13. Ilyin LA. Realities and Myths of Chernobyl. Moscow; AlaraLimited; 1996. 474 p. Russian.
14. Ryabukhin YuS. Low levels of ionizing radiation and health: a system approach (analytical review). Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2000;45(4):5-20. Russian.
15. Mikhailov VS, Yamenskov VV, Ushakov IB. Air force and Chernobyl. Stary Oskol: “IPK Kirillitsa”; 2006. 286 p. Russian.
16. Mastryukov AA, Fedorov VP. Nuclear disaster of the century. Voronezh: “Nauchnaya kniga”; 2016. 410 p. Russian.
17. Ushakov IВ, Fedorov VP. Low radiation exposure and brain. Voronezh: “Nauchnaya kniga”; 2015. 536 p. Russian.
18. Fedorov VP, Ushakov IB, Fedorov NV. Cerebral effects in the liquidators of the Chernobyl accident. Lambert Academic Publishing; 2016. 390 p. Russian.
19. Shamrey VK, Chistyakova EL, Matytsina EN. Radiation psychosomatic illness in liquidators of consequences of the Chernobyl NPP disaster. Medical-biological and socio-psychological problems of safety in emergency situations. 2016;(1):21-34. Russian.
20. Bushmanov AYu. Neurological aspects of radiation damage. Radiation Medicine. 2004;2:126-9. Russian.
21. Fedorov VP. Physical performance in radioactively contaminated areas. Problems of physical culture of the population living in conditions of adverse environmental factors: Proc. XI International scientific and practical conference. Gomel; 2015. Vol. 1. p. 200-4. Russian.
22. Fyodorov VP, Mastryukova AA, Fedorov NV. Medical and social problems of liquidators of the Chernobyl radiation accident. Chernobyl 30 years later: Mater. International Science Practice. Conf. St. Petersburg: «LINGUIST»; 2016. p. 249-50. Russian.
23. Maslov NV, Fyodorov VP, Afanasiev RV, Zuev VG. Morphofunctional state of the parietal cortex under the action of low doses of ionizing radiation. Voronezh: «Scientific book»; 2012. 228 p. Russian.
24. Sgibneva NV, Fyodorov VP. Morphofunctional state of the sensorimotor cortex after small radiation exposure. Voronezh: “Nauchnaya kniga”; 2013. 252 p. Russian.
25. Ushakov IВ, Fyodorov VP, Gundarova OP. Neuromorphological correlates of small radiation effects. Medico-biological and socio-psychological problems of safety in emergency situations. 2016;(1):71-9. Russian.
26. Fyodorov VP, Gundarоva OP, Sgibneva NV, Maslov NV. Radiation-induced and age-related changes of cerebellar neurons. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2015;60(4):36-42. Russian.

For citation: Ushakov IB, Fyodorov VP. Impact of Chernobyl Accident Factors on Psychoneurological Status of Liquidators - Helicopter-pilots. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2018;63(4):22-32. Russian. DOI: 10.12737/article_5b83b2c325ab83.22603621

PDF (RUS) Full-text article (in Russian)