Effects of Prenatal Irradiation with an Accelerated Heavy-Ion Beam on Postnatal Development in Rats: I. Neurophysiological Alterations

Effects on postnatal neurophysiological development in offspring were studied after exposure of pregnant Wistar rats to accelerated carbon-ion beams with an LET of about 13 keV/ mum at doses ranging from 0.1 Gy to 2.5 Gy on the 15th day of gestation. The age at which four physiological markers appeared and five reflexes were acquired was examined prior to weaning. Gain in body weight was monitored until the offspring were 3 months old. Male offspring were evaluated as young adults using two behavioral tests. The effects of X rays estimated for the same biological end points were studied for comparison. For most of the end points at early age, no significant alterations were observed in offspring that received prenatal irradiation with 0.1 Gy of either accelerated carbon ions or X rays compared to the offspring of sham-irradiated dams. However, all offspring whose dams received 2.5 Gy died prior to weaning. Offspring from dams irradiated with accelerated carbon ions generally showed higher incidences of prenatal death and preweaning mortality, markedly delayed accomplishment in their physiological markers and reflexes, and gain in body weight compared to those exposed to X rays at doses of 0.5 to 2 Gy. Significantly reduced ratios of main organ weight to body weight at the postnatal ages of 30, 60 and 90 days were also observed within this dose range. The results indicate that irradiation with 0.5 to 2 Gy on day 15 of gestation caused permanent alterations in offspring that were dependent on dose. The alterations include permanent growth retardation, morphological malformations in main organs, including microcephaly, diminished reflex attainment, delayed appearance of physiological markers, and changes in adult behavior. Exposure to 1 to 2 Gy of radiation resulted in growth retardation and behavioral alterations that persisted throughout life. Accelerated carbon ions generally induced more detrimental effects than X rays.