Effects of fetal X irradiation on maze-learning ability and motor coordination in albino rats

Journal Article · Sat Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1961 · Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1037/h0042720· OSTI ID:4657593

Sharp, Joseph C.

Pregnant rats were exposed to either whole-body or half-body (lower half shielded with lead), 280-r doses of x rays, which were given in 35-r daily doses from the l0th to 17th day of gestation. The offspring of these females were run in a 14-unlt water T maze 116 days after birth. Performance measures for the half-body irradiated group did not differ significantly from those for nonirradiated controls. The full-body group differed from the other 2 groups in trials to criterion and rate of learning but not in time spent in the maze. Thus, in water-maze experiments, 73% of control rats and 82% of the half-body rats reached the criterion of one perfect trial by the 21st trial, whereas only 28% of the full-body group did so. The mean numbers of errors plotted against trials showed that the full-body group did not learn as rapidly as did the control and halfbody groups and that the controls and haif-body groups were similar. In experiments to test the duration of the effects of x irradiation on locomotor coordination, the offspring were tested at each of three different ages for ability to walk along parallel bars. Here, as in the maze experiment, the half-body and control groups performed similarly and were superior to the group receiving fullbody irradiation. However, these differences were seen at ages 40 and 90 days, but no longer appeared at 140 days. The similarity of all subgroups at the latest age was due to improvement in the full-body group. Finally, it is concluded that there are deleterious effects of x irradiation of fetuses and that these are not secondary effects of the maternal irradiation, since effects from irradiation of the mothers in the half-body group are not transmitted to the fetus in such a way that they cause a detectable deficit in the behaviors measured.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-17-038801
• OSTI ID: 4657593
• Journal Information: Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, Journal Name: Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 54; ISSN 0021-9940
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AGE
BEHAVIOR
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
FETUSES
LEAD
PREGNANCY
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RATS
REPRODUCTION
SHIELDING
WATER
X RADIATION