Correlation Analysis of Indicators of Electroencephalography and Variability of the Heart Rhythm in Seafarers Over Time During the Arctic Voyage

Abstract

Introduction. The paper presents a correlation analysis between indicators of variability of heart rhythm and electroencephalogram among professional seafarers and expedition members who first set out on an Arctic voyage. The purpose of the work is to evaluate the compensatory-adaptive reactions of the brain and autonomic regulation of heart in seafarers and expedition members in the Arctic.Material and methods. Studies were carried out among groups of men of research vessels and expedition members of the Northern (Arctic) Federal University (NArFU) in the amount of 70 people. The subjects were divided into two groups – these are seafarers of the Professor Molchanov research vessel and the Neotrazimy marine rescue tugboat, as well as members of the NArFU expedition who participated in the Arctic marine expedition for the first time. To solve the tasks at the same time, an electroencephalogram (EEG) and heart rhythm variability (HRV) were measured at the beginning of the voyage (65 N) and at the end on the 20–30th day (78 N). Subsequently, a statistical analysis of the indicators and the calculation of correlations between groups were carried out.The results of the study showed that at the beginning of the flight, the subjects had high indicators of regulating body systems, due to the specifics of the influence of negative factors in the high latitudes of the Arctic. However, by the end of the month, a tendency towards a decrease in indicators of cardiac activity regulation and central nervous system (CNS) was observed in the group of seafarers. The obtained correlation relationships between the indicators can be used to control the adaptation of seafarers who first set out on an Arctic voyage.