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Radiation Exposure and Bell's Palsy: A Hypothetical Association
M Khateri1, S Cheraghi1,2, A Ghadimi3
1Department of Radiation Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Journal of Biomedical Physics & Engineering
|October 16, 2018
Summary
Radiation exposure may trigger Bell
Area of Science:
- Neurology and Radiation Biology
Background:
- Bell's palsy (BP) is a common idiopathic peripheral nerve disorder affecting the facial nerve, causing unilateral facial paralysis.
- The exact causes of Bell's palsy are unknown, but potential triggers include infection, ischemia, and immunodeficiency.
- Reactivation of latent herpes simplex virus (HSV) is implicated in BP, with stressors like radiation known to trigger HSV reactivation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To hypothesize that radiation, encompassing both ionization and non-ionization forms, may serve as a trigger for Bell's palsy.
- To explore the potential link between radiation exposure and the onset of Bell's palsy through HSV reactivation.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on radiation exposure, HSV reactivation, and Bell's palsy.
- Hypothesis formulation based on preliminary data suggesting radiation's role in HSV reactivation.
Main Results:
- Preliminary evidence indicates that ionizing and non-ionizing radiation can reactivate latent HSVs.
- This reactivation suggests a potential mechanism through which radiation might induce Bell's palsy.
Conclusions:
- Radiation exposure is proposed as a potential physical stressor that could lead to Bell's palsy via HSV reactivation.
- Further research is warranted to investigate the specific roles of radiotherapy and radiofrequency radiation (from mobile phones and wireless devices) in HSV reactivation and Bell's palsy development.
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