A study of the mechanism of cerebral hyperexcitability after irradiation

Whole-body irradiation at a lethal dose induced an early and transient perturbation of 3H-Muscimol specific binding in the mouse cerebellum. The density of high affinity binding sites was decreased and was associated with an increased affinity. This effect can explain early radio-induced cerebral hyperexcitability. Previous injection of cysteamine, which protects against cerebral hyperexcitability, also offers a good protection against this effect.