The effects of cranial X radiation on maze acquisition in rats.

Abstract

Ill a recqnt review (2) Furchtgott concluded that death will result from ionizing radiations before neural changes can be observed except in cases where the body is adequately shielded and the head only is radiated. Thus, no behavioral changes will be found in activities mediated directly by the nervous system, but, Furchtgott feels, decrements in learning could be found as a consequence of changes in rionassociative factors such as motivation and perception of stimuli. Blair and Arnold (1), however, found that radiating only the heads of rats with 2500 r. produced better retention of a learned maze habit during a 25-to 80-day interval after X radiation. The present study was designed to determine the effects of a high dosage (5000 r.) of restricted-area cranial X radiation, on maze acquisition. METHOD SubjectsThe ,5' s were 67 experimentally naive, male albino rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain. They were 105 days old at the beginning of the experiment. ApparatusThe maze was a 14-unit T maze of the Tolman-Honzik pattern. Each unit had side baffles, a nonretracing door, and a hardware-cloth top and bottom.A restricted-area exposure cylinder 3 was used to obtain brain radiation. This cylinder, made of lead sheeting, was designed in such a way that the animal's body was completely shielded during radiation except for an oval exposure area 11 mm. wide and 13 mm. long directly over the brain.X radiation was obtained through use of a Westinghouse 150-kv. industrial unit.

Effects of partial-body X-radiation on learning of inbred strains of mice

“…This was indicative of increased motivation and was comparable to the effect found by Blair (1958) with high doses of Xradiation administered to the head of rats. The exact cause of such an increase was unknown by Blair, but he attributed it to increased hunger motivation and reduced exploratory drive.…”

The Effects of Galactic Cosmic Rays on the Central Nervous System: From Negative to Unexpectedly Positive Effects That Astronauts May Encounter

“…Interestingly, the first data on the positive IR effect on cognitive functions were obtained in the ’50s of the last century: training rats in the T-maze improves after 5 Gy X-ray irradiation [ 101 ]. At the same time, rodents acquire several cognitive benefits after being exposed to H + and HZE.…”

Behavioral and neuropathological changes in the rat following x-irradiation of the frontal brain.

“…191]." For example, Blair (1958), employing 5,000 r. of X-irradiation to a restricted brain area of adult rats reported irradiated groups superior to controls in the acquisition of a 14-unit multiple T maze. Since Furchtgott's review (1963), no evidence has been published which would alter this conclusion with regard to the adult rat.…”