Changes of aggressive behavior and brain serotonin turnover after very low-dose X-irradiation of mice.
Social isolation has been widely described to induce compulsive aggressive behavior and produce a large decrease of brain serotonin turnover in male mice. The aggressiveness by isolation in mice has been often used as a means for a better understanding of disturbed behavior in human beings. We found that male ICR white Swiss mice exhibiting isolation-induced aggression became gradually calm and showed remarkably quiet behavior 7 to 10 days after whole body irradiation of very low-dose X-rays (5-15 cGy). Higher doses (25-35 cGy), however, could not induce such effects. We also obtained the data on brain biochemistry giving a further support for the above low-dose effects on the mouse behavior. Brain serotonin turnover which has been known to be related to aggressive behavior in 5 or 15 cGy irradiated mice was faster than in aggressive control animals.
Division of Biology, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba, Japan.
Y
Y
Miyachi
H
H
Kasai
H
H
Ohyama
T
T
Yamada
D000374:Aggression / Q000528:radiation effects*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012934:Social Isolation; D013997:Time Factors; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation; D014965:X-Rays
D012701:Serotonin