title: Developmental effects of fractionated low-dose exposure to gamma radiation on behaviour and susceptibility of the cholinergic system in mice.
abstract: To investigate whether neonatal exposure to fractionated external gamma radiation and co-exposure to radiation and nicotine can affect/exacerbate developmental neurotoxic effects, including altered behavior/cognitive function and the susceptibility of the cholinergic system in adult male mice.
  
  
  
  Neonatal male Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice were irradiated with one 200 mGy fraction/day and/or exposed to nicotine (66 μg/kg b.w.) twice daily on postnatal day (PND) 10, 10-11, 10-12 or 10-13 (nicotine only). At 2 months of age the animals were tested for spontaneous behavior in a novel home environment, habituation capacity and nicotine-induced behavior.
  
  
  
  Fractionated irradiation and co-exposure to radiation and nicotine on three consecutive days disrupted behavior and habituation and altered susceptibility of the cholinergic system. All observed effects were significantly more pronounced in mice co-exposed to both radiation and nicotine.
  
  
  
  The fractionated irradiation regime affects behavior/cognitive function in a similar manner as has previously been observed for single-dose exposures. Neonatal co-exposure to radiation and nicotine, during a critical period of brain development in general and cholinergic system development in particular, enhance these behavioral defects suggesting that the cholinergic system can be a target system for this type of developmental neurotoxic effects.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Environmental Toxicology , Uppsala University , Uppsala, Sweden ;
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buratovic
authors.affiliation: b Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology , Uppsala University , Uppsala, Sweden ;
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stenerlöw
authors.affiliation: a Department of Environmental Toxicology , Uppsala University , Uppsala, Sweden ;
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fredriksson
authors.affiliation: c Department of Soil and Environment , Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences , Uppsala , Sweden.
authors.forename: Synnöve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sundell-Bergman
authors.affiliation: a Department of Environmental Toxicology , Uppsala University , Uppsala, Sweden ;
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*; D059329:Cholinergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine
keywords: Low-dose radiation; behavior; brain development; cholinergic system; cognition; nicotine