EFFECTS OF RADIATION ON CNS AND ON BEHAVIOR 



633 



Although whole body radiation does not radically change the mammal's 

 capability for learning, there is a wealth of evidence demonstrating effects 

 on nonintellectual behavior. Depression of total body activity has been re- 

 ported for monkeys by McDowell ct al. { 1956) , and depression of pedometer 

 manipulation in monkeys by Leaiy and Ruch ( 1955) . Depression of running- 

 wheel activity by rats following irradiation has been described by Jones et al. 

 (1954) and by McDowell and Brown (1959). 



On the basis of carefully controlled, long term experiments, Davis et al. 

 (1958) demonstrated systematic differences in the home-cage behavior of 

 irradiated and nonirradiated monkeys. The irradiated monkeys showed sig- 

 nificantly fewer rapid, energy-expending activities and more cage-directed 

 responses. In the test room, irradiated monkeys attended better and were less 

 distractible. Decreased mating activity in male swine and rats following 

 fetal gamma irradiation has been reported by Furchtgott et al. (1959). 



During the last year, Mr. Sponoholz, project supervisor at the Primate 



Fig. 6. Male and female monkey performance on learning set tests. 



Fig. 7. Visual curiosity test apparatus. 



