USE OF TECHNOLOGIES OF HIGHER NERVOUS ACTIVITY AND PSYCHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL HUMAN FUNCTIONS STUDYING IN EXTREME CONDITIONS

Abstract

Applied techniques and some results of studies the higher nervous activity (HNA) of the people, their psychophysiological functions (PFF) by Ukrainian scientists and doctors were described, as well as influences of extreme conditions on HNA. Aim. Results of the influence of extreme mountain conditions at high altitudes (hypoxia, etc.) demonstration and further research of changes in the psychophysiological functions of the brain under these conditions; description of the developed methods of professional selection. Methods. Comparative analysis of a large number of the data from experiments and observations. Physical, mathematical, program modeling. Methods of HNA, brain research: electroencephalography, diagnosis of personal neurodynamic features, etc. Three methods of PFF research: parameters of the neurodynamic level, parameters of the neuropsychological level, and personal specifics. The adapted questionnaire scheme (QS) based on Cattell's 16-factor personality tests was applied. Results. The influence of hypoxia and other factors of mountain conditions on HNA were studied deeply. The results were presented. Also, there were presented results of registered changes of EEG in such extreme conditions. The influence of a number of stress factors in extreme conditions (hypoxia, etc.) has been demonstrated. Some basic methods of HNA researches used in such conditions were described as well as results of investigations of individual typological features of the nervous systems were presented. Methods for human psychophysiological functions studying were described. Studies of human personal characteristics were described in details. Data recorded by the PNN-3 device were taken for the diagnosis of personal neurodynamic features. The parameters of the neuropsychological level were determined using the following methods: "triangles" (the level of development of short-term visual memory), "instrument scales" (working memory, attention functions, etc.), and "red and black tables" (allocation and switching of attention). Personality structures, features, and types of behavior of operators in stressful situations were estimated basing on adapted QS by Cattell. Mathematical models of the reliability of human nervous system functioning under extreme conditions were developed. Conclusions. The obtained results were taken as the basis for the developed professional selection methods for special contingents, pilots, operators, etc. Physical, mathematical, and program models of the reliability of the human nervous system functioning in these conditions were proposed.

Keywords

• higher nervous activity
• psychophysiological functions
• extreme conditions
• high altitudes
• professional selection.