[Participation of aeromedicine specialists in complex forensic medical examination in aviation accidents]. / Uchastie spetsialistov v oblasti aviatsionnoi meditsiny pri provedenii kompleksnykh sudebno-meditsinskikh ekspertiz v sluchayakh aviatsionnykh katastrof.

The problem of flight safety and aviation injury were considered, data on aviation accidents in Civil aviation were shown, the main causes of aviation accidents were presented: technical failure, difficult meteorological conditions, deficiencies in flight organization and «human factor¼. The conditional classification of aviation injury was presented. Detection of primary injuries is especially important for aeromedicine (head impact on dashboard, bone fracture at the ankle, «loss of vital space¼, laceration between 1st and 2nd fingers from the control wheel), that determine the pattern of pilots' actions in an emergency situation. A three-link flight medical support system was remained to prevent flying under the influence of alcohol, drugs and psychoactive substances. The Department of Aerospace Medicine developed the algorithm of pilots' examination suspected of using toxic substances. The materials of pilot's psychological examination after an aviation accident in the state of posttraumatic stress disorder are presented.

[Results of intelligence investigations in civil pilots with atherosclerotic changes in cerebral vessels].

Intelligence was evaluated in 73 normal civil pilots (control) and 70 with atherosclerotic cerebral vessels including 23 men with atheromas. Intelligence was evaluated with the use of computerized EPI (Gorbov's modification). Pilots with cerebral atherosclerosis tended to slightly decrease mean IQ values in comparison with the normal; IQ values remained high enough to attest professional efficiency. Atheromas did not impact results of the numerical (IQ2) and verbal (IQ3) tests. Hemodynamically negligible stable atheromas did not disturb cognitive functions of the pilots and, therefore, they were certified for continuation of the flight career.

[Individual psychological attributes of civil pilots with atherosclerotic cerebral vessels].

Object of investigation was types of personality of civil pilots. The investigation involved healthy pilots (n = 58, controls) and pilots afflicted with cerebral atherosclerosis (n = 67) including pilots with atherosclerotic plaques (n = 23). The personality questionnaire developed by L.N. Sobchik was used. The investigation showed that signs of personality accentuation in pilots with cerebral atherosclerosis were largely manifested by distortion of individual psychological attributes. This finding may be helpful to members of the medical flight certification board in making prognosis of pilot's health and professional longevity.

[Medical flight certification of civil pilots with cardiovascular pathologies].

Comprehensive examination of civil pilots including the clinical-physiological and mental tests was performed with the purpose to improve the system of expert evaluation of health and fight fitness of pilots with cardiovascular pathologies. Mental tests consisted of an MMPI modification, the standard multifactor personality test, portrait choice (adapted Szondi's eight inclinations test), and predictive drawing tests of the unconscious. Type of personality of the persons with cardiovascular pathologies were characterized in terms of individual traits, social behavior, thinking type, stress reaction, protective tactics, and form of deadaptation. Persons with a variety of premorbid cardiovascular pathologies (essential hypertension, atherosclerosis, and neurocirculatory dystonia) reveal specific traits that should be taken into consideration in the process of medical flight certification.

[Personality and psychic deadaptation of airline pilots with neurocirculatory dystonia].

In-depth clinical psychological investigation of airline pilots with neurocirculatory dystonia (n=194, mean age 38.57 +/- 0.85) and essentially healthy control pilots (n=183, mean age 38.4+/-0.92) revealed distinctive features in NCD pilots' mentality and behavior including personality, interpersonal communication, type of thinking, stress reaction, protection tactics, and mental dysfunctions. Psychic deadaptation such as symptoms of psychic asthenia, paranoia, depression, schizophrenia, and impulsive behavior had a negative effect on the clinical course and led to medical disqualification of 15% of NCD pilots.

[Determination of the intelligence quotient of pilots with incipient atherosclerosis].

Comprehensive examination, including clinical-functional and psychological testing, was given to 189 essentially healthy civil pilots and 235 pilots with atherosclerosis of aorta and trunks without considerable blood flow disturbance. The total of 835 investigations was performed. Distribution into health groups was conducted on clinical diagnosis. Pilots with cardiovascular pathologies were found to have the intelligence quotient significantly lowered. Associated clinical and psychological tests were effective in revealing and dynamic monitoring of incipient diseases, and taking reasoned disposition regarding pilot's fitness for flight duties.

[Intelligence quotient of the civil air fleet flying personnel]. / Koéffitsient intellekta u lits letnogo sostava grazhdanskoi aviatsii.

A total of 288 pilots were tested for the intelligence quotient (the common Aisenk tests); 189 pilots were healthy and 99 were afflicted with 1st degree essential hypertension. Age-related IQ dynamics was also analyzed. Controls were healthy pilots of five age groups. The healthy flyers received high IQs doing the visual-spatial, numeric and verbal-perception tests suggesting effectiveness of psychological screening of applicants to aviation schools, psychological selection for training in piloting high-class aircraft, and regular practicing of the analytical-synthetic mental processes in airplane flight control. Low IQs gained by the hypertensive pilots are a likely sign of premature aging of the central nervous system which is a target organ for essential hypertension.