International Union for Circumpolar Health Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of RF Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences Medical Polar Fund “Science” The Northern Forum

Abstracts

Ethnic peculiarities of the North native inhabitants health

It is known, that adaptation to extremal environment associates with functional sensorimotor hemispheric asymmetry (FSHA), and persons with higher index of the right hemispheric dominance to get the better (Leutin, 1998). According data of studying Dolgans, Nganasans, Nenets, Enets, Sel’kups as well as Chukchis, Tuvinians and Altaians sinistral persons predominate in populations of Siberian North and mountain regions (Arshavsky, 1988, Leutin, 2005). The aim of our study was a determination of FSHA profile in children of various nations (Nenets, Khanty, Komi, European), inhabiting Priuralsky region of Yamalo-Nenets autonomous district. In changing social environment distinctive features of psychological development in children with different FSHA profiles can influence on effectiveness of psychophysiological adaptation to the North.

Two hundreds seventy eight children (135 boys, 143 girls) participated in the experiments. They were schoolboys and schoolgirls of 5 – 11 grades who go to boarding schools in settlements Beloyarsk and Aksarka. This group included aboriginal population, European persons and different metises. We used the Annett Questionnaire and sensorimotor questionnaires revealing the dominant hand, leg, eye, and ear to test the FSHA profile, (Bragina, Dobrohotova, 1981). Five types of FSHA profiles were estimated on base of the general laterality coefficient calculated for each testing.

It was determined, that 36.3% of tested persons had “only” right profile of FSHA and 36.7% had mainly right; mixed profile, mainly left and “only” left profiles respectively presented in 23.0%, 2.5 % and 1.4% of general group. Analysis of FSHA profiles in aboriginal group showed a dominance of the left hemisphere. In Nenets group ((N=102) 34.3% of children had “only” right profile and 36.3% had mainly right. In Khanty group (N=41) these indices were 31.7% и 26.8%. The right profile of FSHA prevailed in scanty Komi group (N=9) too. The mixed profile of FSHA was found out in 24.5% of Nenets and 31.7% of Khanty; percentage of children who had left profiles (4.9%) was equal in these people.

Thus, persons who have “only” right and mainly right profiles of FSHA predominate in general and ethnic groups. It may be proposed, that more pronounced dominance of the left hemisphere in children of native peoples is associated with influence of school education directed on development of verbal functions and logic thinking.

Note. Abstracts are published in author's edition

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