Tukalenko E. Effects of ionizing radiation on conditioned instrumental behavior of rats

Dose dependence of conditioned instrumental activity changes in rats and possibility of their correction with antioxidants was studied during two months after exposure to nonlethal dose range (0.05-7.0 Gy) of ionizing radiation. Dose dependence of instrumental behavior in shuttle and Skinner boxes was found to be nonlinear with three ranges that have characteristic stability, manifestation, and shifts directions. Similarity of dose-effect changes of conditioned behavior after exposure obtained with different techniques supports the found pattern of changes, and their difference makes stronger the suggested hypothesis concerning significance of the additional stress component in realization of the postexposure behavioral effects. It is shown that changes in the higher nervous activity after exposure at the doses of 0.05, 0.5 and 5.0 Gy can be corrected with antioxidant complexes of artificial and natural origin. This indirectly suggests significance of oxidant stress component of radiation effects mechanism in the studies dose range.