EEG patterns in persons exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of the chernobyl accident. Part 2: quantitative EEG analysis in patients who had acute radiation sickness.

Cross-sectional quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) study (1996-2001) among Chernobyl accident survivors, who had confirmed acute radiation sickness and were irradiated in dose of 1-5 Gy, revealed the neurophysiological markers of ionizing radiation. Neuropsychological markers were: left fronto-temporal dominant frequency reduction; absolute delta-power lateralization to the left (dominant) hemisphere; relative delta-power increase in the fronto-temporal areas; absolute theta-power decrease in the left temporal region; absolute and relative alpha-power diffusive decrease, which may reflect cortico-limbic dysfunction lateralized to the left, dominant hemisphere, with the fronto-temporal cortical and hippocampal damage. Quantitative electroencephalogram proposed for differentiation of radiation and nonradiation brain damages and as a new biological dosymetry method. High radiosensitivity of the brain, neocortex, and dominant hemisphere higher radiosensitivity are discussed.