Characteristics of the cerebral mechanisms controlling the level of wakefulness,maturity of cognitive functions,and adaptive responses in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and healthy children of the same age

Data on the characteristics of the disturbance of ultraslow cortical-brainstem, limbic-reticular, and suprasegmental mechanisms controlling the wakefulness level (WL) in six- to seven-year-old children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and age-matched healthy children (first-year comprehensive primary school pupils) with different types of psychological adaptation have been summarized. An integrated systemic psychophysiological approach has been used to determine the characteristics of (a) the emotional-motivational and cognitive maturities and (b) the psychophysiological mechanisms of the formation of adaptive responses upon tactile interaction with an unfamiliar live object (a dolphin) in the examined groups of healthy and ADHD children.     

Psychophysiological monitoring under conditions of real and simulated microgravity.

Dynamics of indices characterizing the process of adaptation of operators to complicated conditions of vital activity was studied with psychophysiological monitoring. This technique is based on the complex analysis of subjective and objective estimations of the current psychoemotional state and physiological and biochemical indices. We analyzed the data obtained during the examination of three healthy volunteers, who participated in the HUBES experiment (135-day isolation in the ground-based model of the orbital station "Mir"), and during a biorhythmological study conducted by six Russian cosmonauts of the main expeditions on the station "Mir." It was shown that psychophysiological monitoring is an informative method for studying different parameters of the operator's state and regulatory processes, the dynamics of biological rhythms, and individual characteristics of adaptation. By means of the analysis of a population of the variation in the characteristics of the parameters under study the experimental period of isolation was divided into three stages. The first and third stages were characterized by a relatively high variability, which was minimized at the second stage. The phasic character of the adaptation processes with a phase duration of about 60 days was revealed and a correlation was shown between the dynamics of parameters obtained by means of psychophysiological monitoring and specific features of the system regulation in different phases of the space flight and its simulation. It is suggested that the phases of the minimal variability of the studied characteristics are related to the periods of the minimal reliability of an operator's work. [Translated from Fiziologiya Cheloveka, vol. 25, no. 5, 1999 Sep-Oct, p. 86-91]     

Psychophysiological study of the effects of adaptation to tactile interaction with dolphins in six- to seven-year-old children

The possibility of the use of an integrative psychophysiological approach to the investigation of the role of ultraslow information-controlling brain systems in the mechanisms regulating the wakefulness level and the actual development of cognitive functions in six- to seven-year-old children was estimated. For the studied children, with different types of psychological adaptation to an unfamiliar emotional situation (tactile interaction with dolphins), we found the features of the development of (a) corticosubcortical and limbic-reticular mechanisms of regulation of the wakefulness level and (b) suprasegmental mechanisms of autonomic, hemodynamic, and oxygen-dependent energy supply of the wakefulness level. The idea of a correlation between (1) the level of actual emotional and cognitive development and the type of adaptation to psychoemotional stress and (2) age-specific features of the formation of reflex and neurohumoral mechanisms of regulation of the wakefulness level in six- to seven-year-old children is substantiated.     

Visual perception as an integrated characteristic of the psychophysiological development of six- to eight-year-old children

The psychophysiological structure of subtests included in the Methodology of Estimation of the Degree of Visual Perception Development has been determined, and the usability of this methodology for the integrated assessment of the degree of the psychophysiological development of six- to eight-year-old children has been justified. The role of the degree of visual perception development in the psychophysiological state of children has been demonstrated, with special emphasis on the effect of visual perception on the fulfillment of other psychophysiological functions and the formation of learning difficulties.     

Psychophysiological Parameters of the Functional State in Adolescents at Different Stages of Puberty under Intense Informational Loading

A study of the psychophysiological reactivity of boys aged 13–14 years during mental performance at optimal and maximum rates showed that informational loading caused marked functional strain. The physiological cost of working at a comfortable rate was lower than at the maximum rate. Excessive psychophysiological reactivity was observed at the initial stages of puberty during intense mental loading. Such reactivity was responsible for a high physiological cost of adaptation and low functional capabilities of adolescents at puberty stages (PSs) II and III. Moreover, personality traits that contribute to mental strain were expressed to a greater extent in these adolescents. Comparisons indicated a tendency towards higher emotional stability and lower anxiety and frustration for the transition from PS II to PS IV. Excessive psychophysiological reactivity during intense mental work and a high psychophysiological cost of activity in adolescents at PSs II and III may decrease working efficiency, worsen the efficiency of learning, and cause adverse deviations in the state of health. This circumstance should be taken into account during elaboration of effective prophylactic measures aimed at optimizing the functional state of schoolchildren in puberty.     

Ontogeny-specific interaction of psychophysiological mechanisms of emotional perception and educational achievement in students

In order to explore the process of adaptation of children to school environment psychophysiological characteristics of perception of emotional speech information and school progress were experimentally studied. Forty-six schoolchildren of three age groups (7-10, 11-13, and 14-17 years old) participated in the study. In experimental session, a test sentence was presented to a subject through headphones with two emotional intonations (joy and anger) and without emotional expression. A subject had to recognize the type of emotion. His/her answers were recorded. School progress was determined by year grades in Russian, foreign language, and mathematics. Analysis of variance and linear regression analysis showed that ontogenetic features of a correlation between psychophysiological mechanisms of emotion recognition and school progress were gender- and subject-dependent. This correlation was stronger in 7-13-year-old children than in senior children. This age boundary was passed by the girls earlier than by the boys.     

Effect of sociobiological factors on the formation of adaptive responses in school students during puberty

Analysis of psychological, social, and psychophysiological mechanisms underlying the formation of adaptive responses during puberty demonstrated a significant dependence of adolescent behavioral, autonomic, and endocrine parameters on sociobiological factors that determine the identification and individualization of genetically determined behavioral programs. Comparison of the adaptive capabilities of students from an innovative educational institution and from a vocational school showed that the levels of completeness of their adaptation were different and depended on social support, typological features, and autonomic regulation.     

Integrated assessment of neurodynamic and autonomic indicators in adolescents: Age-specific,gender-specific,and typological characteristics

The results of investigations carried out in school students aged 11–16 years (n = 930) have allowed us to determine some gender- and age-specific features in the neurodynamic and autonomic indicators of adolescents and identify the factors determining the formation of their psychophysiological state. The analysis of associations between the characteristics recorded in adolescents and a specific type of autonomic regulation has led to the conclusion about the predictive significance shown by the assessment of their functional constitution as an individual’s adaptation and resource characteristics.     

Forecast of the Health Status, Working Capacity, and Professional Successes under Arid Zone Conditions

Forecasting data on the human heat resistance, professional successes, and health level under hot arid conditions of Turkmenistan are described. A relationship has been established between the characteristics of the thermoregulation system performance under thermoneutral environments, which is shown by the skin surface temperature, and the organism's capacity to maintain a high level of working capacity on heat exposure. The skin temperature patterns are shown to be informative when analyzing the organism's heat state and forecasting the extent to which the total working capacity decreases in response to the intensive heat effect. On the basis of the findings, we developed the criteria for psychophysiological professional selection of linemen for the work under hot arid zone conditions of Turkmenistan. A comparative analysis of the health status of women employed in industry and of housewives living in the arid zone has been carried out using the automated system for the quantitative estimation of risk of the major pathological syndromes (ASQEPS). Groups with tense adaptation have been detected. Analysis and comparison of the syndrome rating in the test groups make it possible to estimate the effect of natural climatic and industrial conditions on the risk of development of major noninfectious diseases and to formulate recommendations for health maintenance.     

Age-related changes in the psychophysiological structure of intelligence and characteristics of its formation in young schoolchildren differing in academic progress

The psychophysiological structure of the verbal and nonverbal intelligence of children differing from one another in academic progress has been studied at the initial (six to seven years of age) and the last (nine to ten years of age) stages of studying at primary school. The age-related characteristics of the development and formation of a system of cognitive functions determining the efficiency of verbal and nonverbal activities in schoolchildren differing in academic progress have been determined. It has been demonstrated that the psychophysiological structure of intelligence in six-to seven-year-old and nine-to ten-year-old schoolchildren may characterize the cognitive strategy of their activity and is a criterion for early prediction of learning difficulties and a basis for developing individually oriented approaches to teaching and effective correction programs.     

Physiological and psychological response to a three-month mental strain period in students

Biochemical and immunological parameters, physical and mental performance, subjective complaints and behavioural characteristics were compared before and after 14 final examinations undertaken by 64 students during a three-month examination period. A decrease in cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, physical performance and an increase in LDL/HDL cholesterol quotient, lactate level, mental performance were accompanied by a lower frequency of mental complaints and higher frequency of physical complaints. From the multidimensional variance and discriminant analysis 17 of the 44 variables discriminated between the state prior to and after the examination period. The results are interpreted in terms of the psychophysiological adaptation to adequate mental stress.     

Physiological,emotional, and professional adaptation of medical students

Female medical students were examined. The somatic health index (HI) according to Apanasenko and state-trait anxiety according to Spielberger were determined. The professional adaptation was estimated by academic performance (the average marks during a semester). Cluster analysis (the k-mean method) was used to distinguish four classes of students differing in their adaptation profiles: (1) good professional adaptation (academic performance), moderate anxiety, and a high HI; (2) poor academic performance and good psychophysiological adaptation; (3) moderate academic performance, a satisfactory psychological and emotional state, and a low HI; and (4) an academic performance lower than the sample average, high anxiety, and a low HI. Methods for correcting maladaptation based on the data obtained are suggested.     

Comprehensive Longitudinal Study of the Physical and Psychophysiological Development of Schoolchildren at the Preadolescent, Early Adolescent, and Late Adolescent Ontogenetic Stages

Results are presented of a 10-year comprehensive study of the changes in somatic, psychophysiological, and autonomic parameters of 132 students of an innovative school (a linguistics-oriented gymnasium) by using computer-aided psychophysiological and functional diagnostics. Certain changes were found in the development of the structural and functional psychosomatic complexes of students at different stages of their ontogenesis.     

Individual strategies of human adaptation under extreme conditions

Starting from the investigations of Sechenov, Pavlov, and Uchtomsky, the Russian psychophysiological school has been considering adaptation in connection with the biological and social origin of the person (human as a rational being) as an integrated, coordinated, and self-controlled system. On the basis of the problem of man and the environment, Medvedev added to the theory of human adaptation the activity paradigm that enables us to uncover the distinctive features of occupational activities under various environment conditions. The theoretical and practical investigations based on the activity methodology presented the opportunity to find new principles of interaction between man and the environment and of the strategy of adaptive behavior. From the investigations one could see that the main characteristic of the human-environment interaction is that the active factor is the human who could simulate different adaptation strategies.     

Psychophysiological characteristics of young workers at an aircraft plant

The results of an evaluation of the psychophysiological characteristics of young workers exposed to factors of aircraft production indicate functional stress, inefficiency of work, detraining of the cardiovascular system, limited psychophysiological potential, and dissatisfaction with work in the majority of examined young workers.     

EMG Reactivity and Oral Habits Among Young Adult Headache Sufferers and Painfree Controls in a Scheduled-Waiting Task

Previous research has shown that patients with facial pain exhibit a pattern of physiological and behavioral reactivity to scheduled-waiting tasks that may help account for the development of facial pain. The present study extended this line of research by examining the psychophysiological reactivity of headache sufferers in a similar task. A total of 34 frequent headache sufferers screened by International Headache Society (IHS) criteria and 13 painfree controls completed a psychophysiological assessment consisting of 4 phases (adaptation, free-play, scheduled-play, and recovery) that included a scheduled-waiting condition (scheduled-play) designed to produce adjunctive behavior. Masseter and frontalis EMG were measured continuously during each phase and self-reported oral habits and pain ratings were collected following each phase. A significant interaction and group effect was found on frontalis EMG, with the headache group exhibiting elevated EMG levels across the phases, whereas the control group exhibited increasing EMG levels that peaked during the scheduled-play phase. Only a significant phase effect was found on masseter EMG, with the highest EMG levels recorded during the scheduled-play phase for both groups. In addition, a significant phase effect was found on self-reported oral habits data. Overall, these results provide general support for the adjunctive behavior effect, but the predicted difference in magnitude between the groups was not found.     

Intellectual development of 15- to 16-year-old boys and girls: Psychophysiological structure

The structure of intelligence in senior adolescents has been studied. The analysis of intelligence in adolescents of both sexes has shown that there are no distinct differences in the structure of intellectual development between boys and girls aged 15–16 years. Significantly better results have been obtained only for the memory development of girls. This suggests that the pattern of cognitive development does not depend on the sex at the last stages of puberty. Significant variation of individual intellectual characteristics confirms a high variability of the psychophysiological structure of intelligence in adolescents at this ontogenetic stage.     

Content and structure of crew’s communicative behavior and gonadal hormone excretion during long-term chamber isolation of all-male international crew

The characteristics of psychophysiological adaptation to the simulation of the extended autonomous manned mission to Mars with limited resources and external communication were studied. The behavioral (communication with the external world) and physiological correlates of 105-day life and work in a pressurized compartment of the crew of six male subjects representing Russian and European space agencies under the conditions of sensory deprivation, confinement, monotony, and high autonomy were studied. Psychological, physiological, and biochemical (urinary cortisol and gonadal hormones) testing together with content analysis of the crew??s communication with the external world were made in parallel. The results confirmed, to a considerable extent, the preliminary hypothesis about the serious impact of stressful factors, including conflict, the significant decrease of the variety and scope of communication with the outer world, and social pressure on the verbal behavior and hormone levels in the future Martian crew. The correlation between the metabolism of the gonadal hormones and the volume, content, and creativity of the verbal human behavior during various stages of adaptation to the extended isolation in pressurized compartments has been discovered.     

The concept of typological variability of physiological individuality: III. Psychophysiological characteristics of functional types differing in habitual physical activity

Results of longitudinal studies were used to estimate the psychophysiological characteristics of preschool and young school children and young adults of both sexes belonging to functional types (FTs) with low, medium, and high habitual physical activity (HPA) levels (FT-1, LHPA; FT-2, MHPA, and FT-3, HHPA, respectively). Statistical analysis of the distributions of averaged psychophysiological parameters in the total sample with the use of the χ² and λ tests showed wide quantitative and qualitative ranges of psychophysiological individuality in a healthy population and demonstrated that it is reasonable to distinguish three typological groups (FT-1, FT-2, and FT-3). Typical first- and second-order parameters, as well as the results of third-order tests characterizing the current state, were determined for each FT. Determination of the psychophysiological characteristics of FT-1, FT-2, and FT-3 and their prevailing behavioral tendencies makes it possible to differentiate between strategies of organism-environment interaction and estimate their advantages and disadvantages.     

Neurophysiological and Psychophysiological Effects of Sulpiride in the Norm and in Patients with Opiate Addiction

We studied characteristics of the EEG activity and psychophysiological indices in healthy persons and patients with opiate addiction (in the states of abstinence and remission) before and after peroral introduction of 200 mg sulpiride. In the initial state, spectral characteristics of EEG in patients with opiate addiction differed from those in the control (in healthy tested subjects) by higher relative powers of low- and high-frequency components (delta and beta waves) and a considerable depression of the alpha rhythm. Treatment with sulpiride evoked changes in the spectral characteristics of EEG, which showed a significant intergroup specificity; intensification of alpha oscillations was a general effect in all groups. We conclude that the effects of sulpiride on the EEG activity comprised components typical of both neuroleptics and antidepressants; in the group of patients in the abstinence state, the pattern of effects of sulpiride was close in its profile to the effect of anxiolytics. Dynamics of the indices of psychophysiological testing after sulpiride treatment demonstrated that the drug exerts mostly positive regulating effects on the state of higher nervous functions in patients with opiate addiction.