[Structural-functional reserves of the vegetative nervous system in pilots flying high maneuver aircrafts]

Purpose of the work was to analyze morbidity among pilots of different categories of aircraft, and to investigate reactivity of the vegetative nervous system (VNS) in pilots flying high maneuver aircrafts varying in age and flying time. Morbidity was deduced from the data of aviation medical exams. The VNS investigation involved 56 pilots of fighter and assault aircrafts both in the inter-flight periods and during duty shifts. Cytochemistry was used to measure glycogen in peripheral blood neutrophils in 77 pilots. It was shown that the pre-stress condition in pilots with the flying time more than 1000 hours may transform to chronic stress, provided that the flight duties remain heavy. According to the cytochemical data, concentration of neutrophilic glycogen indicating the energy potential of peripheral blood leukocytes is controlled by hormones secreted by the VNS sympathetic and parasympathetic components.