Characteristics of neurological status and the electroencephalogram in nuclear power station control operators

A total of 105 control operators at the Kursk nuclear power station were studied: 45 after working shifts (study group) and 60 on rest days (reference group). These investigations showed that operators' work shifts had significant influences on the functional state of the nervous system, promoting the appearance or exacerbation of autonomic dysfunction. In some cases, work shifts increased arterial blood pressure to risk levels for the development of cerebrovascular disease. The effects of nuclear power station operators' work shifts on brain bioelectrical activity included a decrease in the proportion of unaltered EEG traces, along with increases in the spectral power densities of the alpha rhythm in the parietal leads and the theta rhythm in the posterior temporal and parietal leads. The origin of these changes may be related to both fatigue and the effects of adverse industrial factors. It is suggested that clinical observation of power station operators should be supplemented by assessments of autonomic dysfunction and measurement of the spectral power densities of the alpha and theta rhythms in the parietal and posterior temporal leads.