[The catecholaminergic system in the hypothalamus in the chronic gamma irradiation of rats]

Drastic changes in the level of catecholamines (dophamine and noradrenaline) in the central regulatory area of the sympathetic-adrenal system-hypothalamus--caused by continuous gamma irradiation of rats were observed. The irradiation was performed with the doses of 9 to 165 cGy at a rate of 1.1 cGy/day and with the doses of 17 to 315 cGy at a rate of 2.1 cGy/day. Dose dependences of the effect were of a non-monotonic nature. Conclusion was made of a high sensitivity of the sympathetic-adrenal system to the action of chronic low-dose gamma irradiation.