BRAIN AND EYE AS POTENTIAL TARGETS FOR IONIZING RADIATION IMPACT. PART V - ORGANIC AND FUNCTIONAL CHANGES CORRELATION...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology and Neurology
• Radiation Biology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The correlation between organic and functional changes following radiation exposure is not well understood.
• Existing periodization of radiation-related morbidity may overemphasize early functional disorders without considering underlying morphological changes.
• Ophthalmological and neurological data suggest a significant morphological basis for functional disorders in the early stages post-radiation exposure.

Approach:

• Analysis of modern experimental, epidemiological, and clinical data.
• Inclusion of peer-reviewed publications from PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science.
• Additional analysis of examination results from 11,123 individuals irradiated due to the Chornobyl NPP catastrophe (1991-2004).

Key Points:

• Radiation cataracts show initial morphological changes (lens opacities) preceding functional visual impairment.
• Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) in radiation-exposed individuals may represent accelerated aging, linked to ionizing radiation exposure.
• Early signs of age-related macular degeneration involve retinal and choroidal morphological changes before functional vision loss.

Conclusions:

• Functional disorders following radiation exposure often have an underlying organic, morphological basis that develops early.
• Understanding the temporal relationship between organic and functional changes is crucial for accurate periodization and management of radiation-related health effects.
• This study emphasizes the need to consider morphological alterations when assessing the impact of radiation on cerebro-ophthalmological health.