An assessment of the behavioral toxicity of high-energy iron particles compared to other qualities of radiation

Journal Article · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Radiation Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3577371· OSTI ID:5669064

Rabin, B M; Hunt, W A; Joseph, J A ^[1]

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1. Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Bethesda, MD (USA)

Conditioned taste aversion was used to evaluate the behavioral toxicity of exposure to high-energy iron particles ({sup 56}Fe, 600 MeV/amu) in comparison to that of gamma photons ({sup 60}Co), high-energy electrons, or fission neutrons. Exposure to high-energy iron particles (5-500 cGy) produced a dose-dependent taste aversion with a maximal effect achieved with a dose of 30 cGy. Gamma photons and electrons were the least effective stimuli for producing a conditioned taste aversion, with a maximal aversion obtained only after exposure to 500 cGy, while the effectiveness of fission neutrons was intermediate to that of photons and iron particles, and a maximal aversion was obtained with a dose of 100 cGy. In the second experiment, rats with lesions of the area postrema were exposed to iron particles (30 cGy), but failed to acquire a taste aversion. The results indicate that (1) high-energy iron particles are more toxic than other qualities of radiation and (2) similar mechanisms mediate the behavioral toxicity of gamma photons and high-energy iron particles.

• OSTI ID: 5669064
• Journal Information: Radiation Research; (USA), Journal Name: Radiation Research; (USA) Vol. 119:1; ISSN RAREA; ISSN 0033-7587
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560152* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Animals
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BARYONS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BODY
COBALT 60
COBALT ISOTOPES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FERMIONS
FISSION NEUTRONS
GAMMA RADIATION
HADRONS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRON 56
IRON ISOTOPES
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LEARNING
LEPTONS
MAMMALS
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NEUTRONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORGANS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOISOTOPES
RATS
RBE
RODENTS
SENSE ORGANS
STABLE ISOTOPES
TASTE BUDS
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOT