Modeling of changes in the cerebral cortex under low radiation exposure

Abstract

The aim of the investigation was to reveal changes in the neurons of the cerebral cortex depending on the dose of γ-irradiation, the dose rate of exposure, the mode of exposure (acute and chronic) and to establish the priority of each of the influencing factors (γ-irradiation, recovery time and their joint impact) in the end result.Material and methods. The experiment, in compliance with the rules of bioethics, was carried out on 300 adult white rats that were exposed to acute and chronic γ-irradiation in total doses from 10 to 100 cGy with a dose rate of 50 to 660 cGy/h. The sensory and motor areas of the cerebral cortex were studied throughout life after exposure to radiation using traditional neuromorphological, histochemical, and statistical methods, followed by mathematical modeling of the obtained evaluation criteria.Results. Despite the peculiarities of the regimes of radiation exposure, all of them did not cause statistically significant changes in functionally different areas of the cerebral cortex. Throughout the entire recovery period, both in control and experimental animals, phase stochastic changes were observed in various neuromorphological indicators of the state of nerve cells, which, as a rule, had a borderline character, and the level of their significance fluctuated in relation to the control within insignificant limits. At the same time, the change in some neuromorphological parameters was more influenced by the dose or dose rate of γ-irradiation, while others were influenced by the recovery time. With the combined effect of the radiation factor and the duration of the recovery period, most of the indicators corresponded to the age control.Conclusion. Statistically significant changes in the state of neurons in both sensory and motor areas of the cerebral cortex under the considered modes of γ-irradiation in total doses up to 100 cGy were not revealed.