Comparative Effects of Exposure to High-energy Electrons and Gamma Radiation on Active Avoidance Behaviour

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Abstract
The effect of 2 types of ionizing radiation was examined on active avoidance behavior. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to avoid footshock by jumping onto a retractable ledge. When irradiated with high-energy electrons or .gamma. photons, their performance was degraded in a dose-dependent manner. However, electrons were 1.6 times as effective as .gamma. photons with ED50 of 62 and 102 Gy (grays), respectively. All animals recovered within 24 min for all doses used. Different types of ionizing radiation may not be equivalent when assessing their effect on behavior.