title: Memory and survival after microbeam radiation therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Disturbances of memory function are frequently observed in patients with malignant brain tumours and as adverse effects after radiotherapy to the brain. Experiments in small animal models of malignant brain tumour using synchrotron-based microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) have shown a promising prolongation of survival times.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two animal models of malignant brain tumour were used to study survival and memory development after MRT. Thirteen days after implantation of tumour cells, animals were submitted to MRT either with or without adjuvant therapy (buthionine-SR-sulfoximine=BSO or glutamine). We used two orthogonal 1-cm wide arrays of 50 microplanar quasiparallel microbeams of 25 microm width and a center-to-center distance of about 200 microm, created by a multislit collimator, with a skin entrance dose of 350 Gy for each direction. Object recognition tests were performed at day 13 after tumour cell implantation and in monthly intervals up to 1 year after tumour cell implantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both animal models, MRT with and without adjuvant therapy significantly increased survival times. BSO had detrimental effects on memory function early after therapy, while administration of glutamine resulted in improved memory.
authors.affiliation: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada. e.schultke@usask.ca
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schültke
authors.forename: Bernhard H J
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Juurlink
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ataelmannan
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laissue
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blattmann
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bräuer-Krisch
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bravin
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Minczewska
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crosbie
authors.forename: Hadi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taherian
authors.forename: Evan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frangou
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wysokinsky
authors.forename: L Dean
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Griebel
authors.forename: Daryl
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fourney
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005910:Glioma / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy / Q000009:adverse effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome