title: Synaptic plasticity in the cerebral cortex of mice: effects of radiation and anesthesia.
abstract: In the neuropil of layers II and III of the frontal cortex of adult mice, as seen in the electron microscope, sodium pentobarbital anesthesia alone results in a significant decrease in synaptic profile length at 1 day after anesthetization, followed by a return to normal or above normal levels after 2-28 days, while the number of synaptic profiles per unit cross section (profile incidence) is not altered; irradiation with 5-500 rad plateau argon particles significantly inhibits the profile shortening effect of anesthesia at 1 day after exposure, but this inhibition is not dose related; an inverse dose relationship in profile incidence appears at 2 days following irradiation with argon particles; at 1 to 2 hours after 150 or 220 rad x-irradiation, profile incidence is significantly reduced while the length is increased, effects that appear to be dose related and unaffected by adrenalectomy.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003359:Cosmic Radiation / Q000009:adverse effects; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D009115:Muridae; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013026:Space Flight; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D010424:Pentobarbital