Radiation effects on the brain?

[jonathan.fortkamp@us.abb.com]

I am looking for information about the biological effects of radiation on the
human brain, not including tumor/cancer induction.

A little background...a friend's son has a very serious brain condition in which
his brain is essentially deteriorating.  There is no name for this condition,
but similar conditions have been identified in other people.  I do not know many
of the physiological details, but he has lost or is losing many physical
abilities (vision, extremity muscle control, etc).  The condition is not a
cancer or tumor.  He is currently being treated at the Ohio State University
Medical Center and they are unable to identify the cause or slow the process.

Now I know this is a significant stretch, but he was in Lithuania during and
after the Chernobyl incident.  I haven't found any information about the fallout
radiation and contamination levels in Lithuania as a result of the explosion,
however I suspect they are pretty small.

Nonetheless, this person's condition is getting very critical and we are
struggling to find some solutions.  We need to stop whatever is killing him very
fast.  My knowledge of the biological effects of radiation says that this
condition is not likely a result of radiation exposure.  However, I am not an
expert in that field and I was hoping to find some experts on RADSAFE.

Please respond privately or to the group if you feel the information is of
worth.

Thanks in advance for all information.

Jonathan Fortkamp


___________________________________________________________
Jonathan C. Fortkamp, Ph.D.
Corporate Radiation Safety Officer
ABB Automation Inc.
voice:    614-261-2337
fax: 614-261-2337
email:    jonathan.fortkamp@us.abb.com


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