title: Cognitive, psychological and psychiatric effects of ionizing radiation exposure.
abstract: Radiation exposure leads to an increased risk for cancer and, possibly, additional ill-defined non-cancer risk, including atherosclerotic, cardiovascular, cerebro-vascular and neurodegenerative effects. Studies of brain irradiation in animals and humans provide evidence of apoptosis, neuro-inflammation, loss of oligo-dendrocytes precursors and myelin sheaths, and irreversible damage to the neural stem compartment with long-term impairment of adult neurogenesis. With the present paper we aim to present a comprehensive review on brain effects of radiation exposure, with a special focus on its impact on cognitive processes and psychological functions, as well as on their possible role in the pathophysiology of different psychiatric disorders.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Psichiatria, Neurobiologia, Farmacologia e Biotecnologie, University of Pisa, Via Roma, 67, I- 56100 Pisa, Italy. dmarazzi@psico.med.unipi.it
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marazziti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baroni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catena-Dell'Osso
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schiavi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ceresoli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Conversano
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dell'Osso
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Picano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects