Prospects of using event-related potentials in medical examination of military mental disorders

Relevance. Considering the demand for additional efficient methods among clinicians to assess military mental health, instrumental methods, including psychophysiological and neuropsychological tools, providing objectifying detection of mental disorders (MD) are of particular importance. Event-related potentials (ERP) are a promising additional method of objectification of psychopathological manifestations, allowing to obtain neurophysiological parameters for processes associated with arbitrary attention, identification and decision-making.

Objective. The study provides a generalized analysis of contemporary investigations and research outcomes regarding event-related potentials as a diagnostic tool for mental disorders, its diagnostic and prognostic potential in medical examination of military mental disorders.

Methods. To assess the ERP diagnostic informative value, we analyzed over 40 scientific studies published within the last 10 years dealing with event-related potentials and their implementation in MDs, various brain structure damages and associated functional disorders. We also summarized the results of applying this method to study patients’ cognitive abilities and integrative functions.

Results and discussion. Our analysis of scientific studies shows that the ERP value differs significantly for various MDs, such as: schizophrenic spectrum disorders, affective disorders, or addictive pathology. The conclusion suggests that the assessment of the parameters associated with various ERP modifications can improve objectivity of diagnostic and prognostic outcomes in military mental disorders.

Conclusion. Event-related potentials is a promising method of diagnostic significance to assess severity of perception, attention, short-term memory damage, as well as cognitive disorders. ERP can help determine the boundary values and diagnostic criteria, as well as evaluate treatment efficiency and outcomes in military mental disorders. Moreover, ERP could be a promise as an additional research method to objectify MDs in mental state assessment of the military at military medical examination.

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