[Incidence of morphologic changes in cerebral cortex neurons of the rat exposed to accelerated carbon ions]

Structural lesions in neurons of the brain cortex of rats were investigated 1 and 3 months after their exposure to accelerated carbon ions with the energy 320 MeV/nuclon 10(4) particles/cm2 (LET = 120 MeVcm2/g) as well as to gamma-radiation in the dose 1.0 Gy. The irradiated animals showed morphofunctional, dystrophic and reparative lesions in neurons. The rats exposed to carbon ions developed more distinct changes that the animals exposed to gamma-radiation. It is postulated that similar fluxes of cosmic radiations will not produce a deleterious effect on the integrative functions of the central nervous system of cosmonauts.