Problems of Radiation Medicine and Radiobiology

L. M. Lisukha¹, I. Ye. Kolpakov²

¹O. O. Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 4 Bogomoletz St., Kyiv, 01024, Ukraine
²State Institution «National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine», 53 Yuriia Illienka St., Kyiv, 04050, Ukraine

STATE OF COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS IN CHILDREN WITH PATHOLOGY OF DIGESTIVE ORGANS, WHO LIVE AT RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATED TERRITORIES OF UKRAINE

Objective. to study the state of cognitive functions in children who were born and permanently live at radioactive contaminated territories (RCT) with pathology of the upper digestive tract, using pathopsychological testing; to increase the effectiveness of treatment and prophylactic measures aimed at preserving and restoring the health of RCT residents.
Design, patients and methods. A randomized blind controlled clinical trial was conducted. There were examined, a total of 90 persons aged 6 to 17 years (35 boys and 55 girls) who were divided into two groups: the control group (I) included 30 persons of the conventional «clean» territories, and the main group (II) – 60 patients with pathology of the digestive organs who were born and live at the RCT. The study program included: the collection of anamnesis, complaints; clinical and instrumental examinations. The following tests were applied by us: «What things are hidden in the drawings», Toulouse-Pieron, Raven, and Luria testing. For detecting the anxiety level, and the subjective signs of autonomic dysfunctions were used the Spilberg-Hanin self-diagnosis and the Wein questionnaire, respectively.
Results. It was shown that in children aged 6–11 years, according to the results of the Toulouse-Pieron test, speed of cognitive information-processing was significantly decreased by 7.17 conventional units, while on the background of the etiopathogenetic treatment of the digestive tract – by 10.24 conventional units relative to the values of the control group. The long-term memory was statistically significantly decreased in the examined children of senior school age (from 12 to 17 years). A significant increase in reactive anxiety and a reverse correlation between the personal anxiety (PA) and speed of cognitive information-processing (r = -0.331) were recorded in patients aged 6–11 years. In older patients, PA was increased.
Сonclusions. The obtained results indicate that the state of cognitive functions was characterized by a decrease in speed of cognitive information-processing, long-term memory and a high level of anxiety in children aged from 6 to 17 years residents of RСT with pathology of digestive organs, according to the used testing.
Key words: children, radioactive contaminated territories, cognitive functions, pathopsychological testing, diseases of the digestive organs, autonomous nervous system.

Problems of Radiation Medicine and Radiobiology.
2019;24:395-410. doi: 10.33145/2304-8336-2019-24-395-410

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