Radiation-Induced Cognitive Impairments are Associated with Changes in Indicators of Hippocampal Neurogenesis

During treatment of brain tumors, some head and neck tumors, and other diseases, like arteriovenous malformations, the normal brain is exposed to ionizing radiation. While high radiation doses can cause severe tissue destruction, lower doses can induce cognitive impairments without signs of overt tissue damage. The underlying pathogenesis of these impairments is not well understood but may involve the neural precursor cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. To assess the effects of radiation on cognitive function, 2-month-old mice received either sham treatment (controls) or localized X irradiation (10 Gy) to the hippocampus/cortex and were tested behaviorally 3 months later. Compared to controls,…

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  National Institutes of Health