Prenatal Anoxia and Irradiation

A few years ago, after reviewing the negative resulcs of a series of srudies evaluating the effects of prenatal X-irradiation upon avian behavior, this invescigator concluded that although other possibilities existed, the most heuristic explanation involved a factor of maternal-fetal interaction in those instances where results of such exposure had been positive. Specifically, the behavioral effects of prenatal irradiation, at the ages used, were nor directly related to irradiation, per se, but to the effects produced by the irradiation in the mother. Conceivably, the differences in behavior reported by ochers were attributable to anoxia-like conditions imposed upon the fetus through irradiation effects in the mother (Meier, 1959). In the above studies the possibility of maternal-fecal interaction was eliminated; groups of fertile eggs were exposed to a median lethal dose of X-radiation at the end of 4, 8, 12, 16, or 19 days of incubation. In spite of the weight differences evidenced at hatching, no behavior differences could be discerned on a battery of tests which had been sensitive previously (Meier, 1958, pp. 55-66) to prolonged effects of prenatal oxygen deprivation meted to Ss at comparable incubation stages. True, many of the irradiated chicks were morphologic anomalies when seen at hatching. Even though the alterations, particularly in the head and in the extremities, were sufficiently numerous so that the various irradiation-age groups could be nicely differentiated, few of the deformed animals lived through the process of hatching. The morphologically-normal Ss (the only Ss used) were by tests behaviorally normal. Unhappily, the maternal-fetal explanation lacks popularity as evidenced by the firmly entrenched conrrary point-of-view in the literature of those primarily concerned with radiation biology In a review of the experimentation and concepts in radiation and prenatal development, Liane B. Russell (1954, pp. 900-901) contemplated the possibility of a maternal influence in the phenomena reported. Even after discussing numerous studies conducted over the last 50 or so years, srudies which were attempts to elucidate the mechanism of prenatal irradiation through selective irradiation procedures and which in sum imply a significant maternal influence, Russell concluded char two pieces of evidence, added to evidence derived from analogy with the oviparous forms [viz., radiation can produce gross morphological damage in those embryo forms without direct maternal contact, therefore radiation doer produce morphological damage in those embryo forms with direct maternal contact]: make it likely that the majority of ab'Based on paper presented at symposium entitled Prenatal Factors Determining Later Behavior, American Psychological Association, Chicago, September 1, 1960. The research and the interests upon which this paper is based were supported by the Atomic Energy Commission through Contract AT- (40-1) -2 166. 'Parenthetical comments inserted by present author

Biology · Developmental psychology · Fetus · Irradiation · Obstetrics · Physics · Pregnancy · Avian ecology and behavior · Birth, Development, and Health · Fish Ecology and Management Studies · Medicine · Psychology

• In Defense of “Prenatal Anoxia and Irradiation

  Open Access•Gilbert W Meier•Psychological Reports•1962

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• Fundamentals of radiobiology

  Peter Alexander, Zénon M Bacq•Fundamentals of radiobiology•1961

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• Behavioral Irradiation Effects in the Developing Chick

  Open Access•Gilbert W Meier•Psychological Reports•1959

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