FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM OF LATE NEUROLOGICAL EFFECT FOLLOWING ACUTE IRRADIATION

Technical Report · Fri Oct 26 04:00:00 EDT 1962

OSTI ID:4713508

Yamamoto, Y L

The radiation effect on RNA metabolism in the mature central nervous system, using tritiated cytidine as a precursor for RNA synthesis with autoradiographic method, is observed in a depression of the labeiing of cytoplasmic RNA in the choroid plexus cells, pyramidal cells (Rose's area h/sub 3/ ) in Hippocampus, neurons in the third layer of the postcentral cortex and Purkinje cells of the cerebellum as early as 24 hours to 48 hours following a single dose of 500 r x ray (250 kv) irradiation to the rat's head. The increased labeling of RNA in the secretory cells of the supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus indicates a slight increase of RNA synthesis in all subceliular compartments of the neuron, particularly in the nuclei following irradiation, even in a dose of 500 r to the head only. However, the marked depression of the cytoplasmic RNA labeling in the other neurons following ionizing radiation, which appears as early as 24 to 48 hours following irradiation, suggests that the ionizing radiation can directly induce a depression of cytoplasmic RNA synthesis and hence the neuronal activity. The experiment using a physiochemical method has clearly shown that the decrease of cytoplasmic RNA labeling, and presumably synthesis, can be detected as early as 24 hours to 48 hours, without any cellular alteration, after radiation as low as 500 r to the rat's head. Therefore, the decrease of the cytoplasmic RNA is not necessarily a secondary effect due to regressive cellular alteration, but a direct radiation effect. (auth)

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, N.Y.
• DOE Contract Number: AT(30-2)-GEN-16
• NSA Number: NSA-17-010356
• OSTI ID: 4713508
• Report Number(s): BNL-6546
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AMINO ACIDS
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BRAIN
METABOLISM
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOAUTOGRAPHY
RATS
RIBONUCLEIC ACID
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM
X RADIATION