STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.

In spite of the present-day neurology achievements, the pharmacotherapy and non-medicated treatment of some diseases are only partially effective and the results are not always persistent. Such disabilities include chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), neurological disorders of the residents of ecologically risky areas, child neuroses, cerebral palsy (CP) [Antropov, Yu.F. 1997, Bryazgunov, I.P. 1995, Vein, A.М. 1991, Votyakov, V.I. 1995, Gichev, Yu.P. 1996, Ezhova, V.A., Kunitsyna, L.A. 1984, Ilchenko, I.N. 1999, Poberskaya, V.A. 2002, Drinevskiy, N.P. 2002, Scheplyagina, L.A. 1997, Yarosh, A.M. 2001, Kenner, C. 1998]. The above means and methods are practically effectiveless when used for Kanner's syndrome treatment. [Bashina, V.M. 1993, Isaev D.N. 1995, Kogan V.E. 1981, МcEachin J. 1993]. An effective treatment of these disabilities requires innovative approaches and methods.

The widespread of CFS, child neuroses and disorders of the residents in ecologically polluted areas makes them a burning social problem, which is another argument for the new rehabilitation methods developing. 14-20% of children and adolescents are reported to suffer from neurotic disorders. In other words this pathology is the widest spread neurological disease of this group. Neurological disorders records are 1.5 - 3.5 times higher in the areas of ecological pollution. [Zaplatnikov, A.A. 1994, Poberskaya, V.A., Drinevskiy, N.P. 1997, Monaco A. 1999, Yeglich B.L.. 1992]. The main mass neuromental disorders in these areas are asthenic, astheno-vegetative and cerebral conditions as well as prevailing of "inferior intellectual standard". (Poberskaya, V.A. 2001, Fudin, N.A. 1992, Shvedunova, L.N. 1997, Shibanov, S.E. 1998]. CFS is a newly introduced nosological unit. [Kenner, C. 1998]. Nevertheless, it is widespread and upward trended mainly among the middle age individuals of intellectual occupations. |Wessely S, Hotopf M, Sharpe М. 1998].

The severity of Kenner’s syndrome and CP makes the search of new methods of treatment pressing and urgent. The age related dynamics of the CP neuropsychic syndromes causes psychosomatic disorders of various manifestations and creates a "deficiency type personality" [Mechetny, Yu.N. 2000]. Autism is a severe behavioral dysfunction. It develops within the first 3 years of life with social and communication impairments and makes a patient almost completely asocial. [Kogan, V.E. 1981, Bashina, V.M. 1998]. Dolphin therapy is one of the possible approaches to rehabilitation of such patients. It's developed mainly by foreign researchers. [Nathanson D 1996, Blow R. 1995, Donohi S. 1996]. As per available information [Lukina L. 1994, Кlingel М. 1996], the interaction with dolphins, other physical effects of sea bathing reinforce patient's inner resources, activate his behavior, provide positive emotional mood, which contributes to successful cure. However, even in the advanced world centers most research involved relatively small sample size of various etiologies. The close controlled contact between a subject and a dolphin was not maintained. The results were usually evaluated on the basis of patients' subjective sensations without statistical data analysis. In view of the above, the results, obtained up to now, can be considered preliminary and proving only the good prospects for further research in this field.

The research was conducted in the "State Oceanarium" Research Center in the course of the state research program "Hydrodynamic investigations of dolphins and other sea mammals for shipbuilding, hydro bionic means designing and double-purpose biotechnical systems developing", approved by General Director of the National Marine Research and Technology Agency on July 1, 1994 within the framework of the Poseidon state program for utilization of the resources of Azov - Black Seas basin, other World Ocean areas for the period till 2000 (code "Dolphin"), section "Dolphin Therapy" and in I.M. Sechenov Research Institute of Physical Methods of Treatment and Medical Climatology within the framework of the research plan item "To develop a conceptual model of recreation in sanatoria and health resorts of the Southern Coast of Crimea" (1994 - 1998, State registration No. 0194и039066).

The purpose of the present research is to develop a system of neurological patient rehabilitation based on their interactive controlled contacts with the Black Sea bottlenose dolphins (Russ. Afalina)

In the course of the research the following tasks are accomplished:

1. To investigate psycho-physiological characteristics of the Black Sea bottlenose dolphins as a basis for developing a dolphin assisted cure-rehabilitation system for people with neurological disorders.

2. To investigate the contribution of the dolphin assisted therapy to the functional condition of the virtually healthy individuals of various ages.

3. To investigate the contribution of the dolphin assisted therapy to the conditions of the children from ecologically risky areas.

4. To evaluate the prospects of rehabilitation with the Black Sea bottlenose dolphin interaction for individuals suffered from the chronic fatigue syndrome.

5. To investigate the effects of dolphins on the children suffered from neuroses.

6. To investigate the dynamics of psychosocial adaptation of the children with infantile autism in the course of the dolphin assisted therapy.

7. To evaluate the efficiency of rehabilitation with the Black Sea bottlenose dolphin interaction for children suffered from cerebral palsy.

8. To work out basic principles of rehabilitation with the Black Sea bottlenose dolphin interaction.