Whether ionizing radiation is a risk factor for schizophrenia spectrum disorders?

Abstract

The neural diathesis-stressor hypothesis of schizophrenia, where neurobiological genetic predisposition to schizophrenia can be provoked by environmental stressors is considered as a model of the effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. Analysis of information from electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Current Contents, Elsevier BIOBASE) and hand-made search was carried out. There are comparable reports on increases in schizophrenia spectrum disorders following exposure to ionizing radiation as a result of atomic bombing, nuclear weapons testing, the Chernobyl accident, environmental contamination by radioactive waste, radiotherapy, and also in areas with high natural radioactive background. The results of experimental radioneurobiological studies support the hypothesis of schizophrenia as a neurodegenerative disease. Exposure to ionizing radiation causes brain damage with limbic (cortical-limbic) system dysfunction and impairment of informative processes at the molecular level that can trigger schizophrenia in predisposed individuals or cause schizophrenia-like disorders. It is supposed that ionizing radiation can be proposed as a risk factor for schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The hypothesis that ionizing radiation is a risk factor for schizophrenia spectrum disorders can be tested using data from the Chernobyl accident aftermath. Implementation of a study on schizophrenia spectrum disorders in Chernobyl accident victims is of significance for both clinical medicine and neuroscience.

Cancer and non-cancer brain and eye effects of chronic low-dose ionizing radiation exposure

“…Previous studies suggested that radiation exposure might represent a risk for schizophrenia in humans [75,76]. In 10,834 individuals irradiated in childhood for tinea capitis (mean dose = 1.5 Gy), no association was found between radiation exposure and risk of schizophrenia, although for the subgroup irradiated at < 5 years of age a trend was found (hazard ratio = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.96–1.44, p = 0.1) [75].…”

Do Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation Affect the Human Brain?

“…Another effect that could also be attributed to exposure to ionizing radiation is schizophrenia spectrum disorders (Loganovsky & Loganovskaja, 2000;Loganovsky, Volovik, Manton, Bazyka, & Flor-Henry, 2005). There are three hypotheses concerning ionizing radiation as a risk factor for schizophrenia: 1) genetic (in off-spring of exposed); 2) prenatal exposure (neurodevelopmental hypothesis), and 3) diathesis-stressor hypothesis , while irradiation in adulthood is considered to be a new model of schizophrenia (Iwata, Suzuki, Wakuda, Seki, Thanseem, Matsuzaki, et al, 2008).…”

Cognitive, Psychological and Psychiatric Effects of Ionizing Radiation Exposure

“…Moreover, the incidence of the disorder seemed to be higher in rural areas of India that have high natural background radiation [69].…”

“…There is evidence of an increased incidence of schizophrenia spectrum disorders following exposure to atomic bombing radiation, RT or environment with high natural IR level [69]. In fact, a significant enhanced prevalence of schizophrenia has been reported in the survivors in Nagasaki [70].…”

“…In fact, about 29% of patients with mental disorders living in the area were affected by schizophrenia and, amongst those, 42.3% were born before the first nuclear test explosions [69].…”