title: Electrophysiological responses of the mouse retina to 12C ions.
abstract: Phosphenes ("light flashes") have been reported by most astronauts on space missions and by healthy subjects whose eyes were exposed to ionizing radiation in early experiments in particle accelerators. The conditions of occurrence suggested retinal effects of heavy ions. To develop an in vivo animal model, we irradiated the eyes of anesthetized wild-type mice with repeated bursts of 12C ions delivered under controlled conditions in accelerator. 12C ions evoked electrophysiological retinal mass responses and activated the visual system as indicated by responses recorded from the visual cortex. No retinal immunohistological damage was detected. Mice proved a suitable animal model to study radiation-induced phosphenes in vivo and our findings are consistent with an origin of phosphenes in radiation activating the retina.
authors: INFN, Roma2, Roma, Italy. wgs@dism.unige.it
authors: Walter G
authors: WG
authors: Sannita
authors: Neal S
authors: NS
authors: Peachey
authors: Enrica
authors: E
authors: Strettoi
authors: Sherry L
authors: SL
authors: Ball
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Belli
authors: Vittorio
authors: V
authors: Bidoli
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Carozzo
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Casolino
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Di Fino
authors: Piergiorgio
authors: P
authors: Picozza
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Pignatelli
authors: Adele
authors: A
authors: Rinaldi
authors: Moreno
authors: M
authors: Saturno
authors: Dieter
authors: D
authors: Schardt
authors: Marcelo
authors: M
authors: Vazquez
authors: Veronica
authors: V
authors: Zaconte
authors: Livio
authors: L
authors: Narici
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002244:Carbon; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D020450:Heavy Ions; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010719:Phosphenes / Q000528:radiation effects; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D002244:Carbon