Effects of pre- and postnatal exposure to tritiated water for five generations on postnatal brain development

The possible long-term effects of chronic radiation exposure have been studied. Rats were given tritiated drinking water (3 μCi/ml) before and during pregnancy and thereafter continuously through five generations. The brains were studied at 30 and 120 days postnatally. Significant decreases in weight and DNA and protein contents of specific parts of the brain were found, the most pronounced decreases being in the diencephalon. The decrease in protein content were more pronounced than the decreases in DNA content; the decreases were also more pronounced at 30 days than at 120 days, and more pronounced in the fith generation than in previous generations