skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Neurodegeneration and adaptation in response to low-dose photon irradiation

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1160350· OSTI ID:1160350
 [1]
  1. Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)

Neural stem and precursor cells (i.e. multipotent neural cells) are concentrated in the neurogenic regions of the brain (hippocampal dentate gyrus, subventricular zones), and considerable evidence suggests that these cells are important in mediating the stress response of the CNS after damage from ionizing radiation. The capability of these cells to proliferate, migrate and differentiate (i.e. to undergo neurogenesis) suggests they can participate in the repair and maintenance of CNS functions by replacing brain cells damaged or depleted due to irradiation. Importantly, we have shown that multipotent neural cells are markedly sensitive to irradiation and oxidative stress, insults that compromise neurogenesis and hasten the onset and progression of degenerative processes that are likely to have an adverse impact on cognition. Our past and current work has demonstrated that relatively low doses of radiation cause a persistent (weeks-months) oxidative stress in multipotent neural cells that can elicit a range of degenerative sequelae in the CNS. Therefore, our project is focused on determining the extent that endogenous and redox sensitive multipotent neural cells represent important radioresponsive targets for low dose radiation effects. We hypothesize that the activation of redox sensitive signaling can trigger radioadaptive changes in these cells that can be either harmful or beneficial to overall cognitive health.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-09ER64798
OSTI ID:
1160350
Report Number(s):
DE-FG02-09ER64798
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English