SOME PECULIARITIES OF ELECTRODERMAL ACTIVITY OF CHILDREN FROM AN ENVIRONMENT POLLUTED BY NEUROTOXINS

In this comparison study we analyze the results of a screening of chil dren living in an area polluted by industrial toxins (mainly: As, Mn, Hg, Pb, NOx and SOx) - affected group (AG) and children from a relativ ely unpolluted area-control group (CG). The effects of neurotoxins on the psychosomatic condition of the children were observed be means of electrodermal activity (orientational GSR and overall activity) and th e level of tremor. Factoring, using the 12 measurements from the recor ding of electrodermal activity, helped us select four factors - Time c omponent, Acceleration charge, Deceleration dynamics and Arousal readi ness. Children from the AG, in average, have a shorter latency of orie ntational GSR, manifest a confusion in time and amplitude dimensions a long with poorer results in the recovery part of orientational GSR. Po ssible neuropsychological correlates of the changes found which could explain the poorer performance of children from the AG in cognitive-me mory tasks are also discussed.