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Re: 2 Unrelated Questions - Atomic City Smallbore, CNS Damag
Ralph;
According to the text titled, MILITARY RADIOBIOLOGY, by James J.
Conklin and Richard I. Walker, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research
Institute, Bethesda, MD 1987, the CNS syndrom is a poorly understood
phenomena. I will quote from the text:
"The neurovascular syndrome is the least well understood of the
radiation-induced deaths. The syndrome is unique in that death occurs
very quickly(within 2 days) before failures in the gastrointestinal and
hemopoietic systems become apparent. It is difficult to precisely
define this syndrome due to (1) the lack of human exposures at the high
radiation doses required to produce the syndrome and (2) confusion
about the actual cause of death. This type of radiation death was
originally designated central nervous system (CNS) syndrome because of
the obvious CNS signs and symptoms, such as disorientation, loss of
muscular coordination, respiratory distress, convulsive seizures, and
coma associated with death. Histological evidence of microvascular
damage (72-74) and evidence of cerebral edema [such as herniation of
the cerebellar tonsils into the foramen magnum, the existence of
pressure cones, and the narrowing of the sulci )75)]have led to the
realization that the CNS failures that result in the early deaths are
due to the buildup of intracranial pressure caused by edema. Lushbaugh
(76) has termed this form of death a cardiovascular shock syndrome,
wherein the massive loss of serum and electrolytes through leakage into
the extravascular tissues causes extreme circulatory problems, edema,
intracranial pressure, and cerebral anoxia, which can bring death
within 2 days. The radiation threshold for this syndrome is equally
unclear. Generally it is thought that 5,000 cGy is necessary for the
neurovascular syndrome, and doses above 10,000 cGy are required for
direct damage of the nervous system."
72. Haymaker, W., Lagner, G., Nanta, W.J.H., Pickering, J.E., Sloper,
J.C., and Vogel, F.S., THE EFFECTS OF BARIUM-140, LANTHANUM-140 (GAMMA)
RADIATION ON THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND PITUITARY GLAND OF MACAQUE MONKEYS.
J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 17, 12-57 (1958).
73. Vogel, F.S.,CHANGES IN THE FINE STRUCTURE OF CELLEBELLAR NEURONS
FOLLOWING IONIZING RADIATION, J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 18, 580-589 (1959).
74. Wilson, S.G. RADIATION INDUCED CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEATH: A
STUDY OF THE PATHOLOGIC FINDING IN MONKEYS INADEATED WITH MASSIVE DOSES OF
COBALT-60 (GAMMA) RADIATION, J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 19, 195-215 (1960).
75. Clemente, C.D., and Holst, E.A., PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN NEURONS,
NEUROGLIA AND BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER INDUCED BY X-IRRADIATION OF HEADS OF MONKEYS.
AMA, Arch, Neurol. Psychiatry 71, 66-79 (1954).
76. Lushbaugh, C.C., THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF MODELS
EXPLAINING "GASTROINTESTINAL DEATH " AN OTHER LETHAL RADIATION SYNDROMES.
Comparative Cellular and Species Radiosensitivity (V.P. Bond and T. Sugahara,
eds.), pp. 288-297. Igaku Shoin, Tokyo, (1969).
I understood to mean that this syndrome was caused by the damage of the blood
vessels within the brain mass causing loss of structure and impermiability of
the small veins and arteries.
Louie Tonry
Cneter for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Landstuhl, Germany
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Subject: 2 Unrelated Questions - Atomic City Smallbore, CNS Damage -R
Author: SSG Mircea Ardelean at AEHA-EUR
Date: 2/24/95 7:12 AM
FYI
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Subject: 2 Unrelated Questions - Atomic City Smallbore, CNS Damage -R
Author: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at Internet-Mail
Date: 2/23/95 8:25 PM
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