Electron Microscope Observations on the 



X-lrradiated Central Nervous System of the 



Syrian Hamster* 



H. Hager, W. Hirschberger, and A. Breit 



Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fur Psychiatrie 

 Max-Planck-Institut, Munich, Germany 



Relathely few reports on brain damase follovvinsj massive dosages of 

 x-radiation have been published in the light microscope literature (Hicks 

 and Montgomery. 1952: Hicks et al., 1956). and only Vogel (1959) has 

 utilized the high resolving power of the electron microscope in his study of 

 x-ray induced pyknosis of the granular cells of the cerebellum. Our work 

 was imdertaken to demonstrate the morphologic alterations produced by 

 x-radiation and to ascertain if there exist in the ultrastructural range cyto- 

 logic alterations specific for this type of energy. The brains from which speci- 

 mens were removed for electron microscopy were also utilized in the exten- 

 sive light microscope investigations of Scholz which are reported elsewhere 

 in this symposium. Only ultrastructural observations will be considered. 

 Because of the sampling limitations inherent in electron microscope tech- 

 nique, time-dosage relationships will not be discussed. 



Material and Methods 



A circumscribed region ol the mediodorsal skull of unanesthetized Syrian 

 hamsters was subjected to a single exposure of .x-radiation. A Monophos 

 ray machine was used with a target distance of 5.5 cm. The technical con- 

 ditions were as follows: 40 KV, 25 niA. 0.3 Aluminum with a half value 

 depth in tissue of 1 mm. Dosages ranged from 7,500 to 45,000 r, and animals 

 were sacrificed after periods ranging from 4 hours to 30 days. Specimens 

 taken from the living animal were fixed in buffered osmium tetroxide, 



* This project was supported by the School of .\viation Medicine of the .•\ir Re- 

 search and Deselopment Command, U. S. .Air Force, through its European Office. 



The authors express their deep appreciation to Dr. Erland Nelson, University of 

 Minnesota, for his heljjful suggestions and assistance in the preparation of this man- 

 uscript. 



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