UDC

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Authors

Deputat Irina Sergeevna
Institute of Medical and Biological Research, Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov (Arkhangelsk, Russia)
Gribanov Anatoly Vladimirovich
Institute of Medical and Biological Research, Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov (Arkhangelsk, Russia)

Abstract

The paper studied interhemispheric asymmetry in 28 elderly men living in the north. It is highly important to determine changes in the brain when studying structural changes in mental activity at ageing. Functional interhemispheric asymmetry in elderly northerners needs to be researched due to the fact that northern conditions keep their homeostasis-maintaining systems in constant stress, which requires more energy to preserve this state, thus forming northern stress in humans. Interhemispheric asymmetry was determined by estimating the difference in constant potential level (CPL) between symmetrical areas of the brain. CPL was determined in unipolar leads using the 12-channel hardware and software diagnostic complex “Neiroenergometr-KM”. The distribution of CPL was compared to the average standard values for the corresponding age period, embedded in the software. We revealed that interhemispheric interaction in elderly northerners deviates from the norm. The test group tended to have increasing interindividual variability of interhemispheric differences in energy metabolism of the brain, which accompanies normal ageing. The results obtained partly correspond to the reference data, such as levelling of the differences between the hemispheres in their central and parietal leads in older people; persisting pronounced left-hemispheric lateralization, estimated by the difference in potentials between the left and right temporal leads; dominance of the left hemisphere in the frontal leads. Men living in the north showed levelling of interhemispheric asymmetry in the frontal leads and right-hemispheric dominance in the central leads. Left-hemispheric lateralization was observed in the parietal leads.

Keywords

north, old age, interhemispheric asymmetry, neuroenergometry, constant potential level

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