This Article Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Otake, M. Articles by Schull, W. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Otake, M. Articles by Schull, W. J.

In utero exposure to A-bomb radiation and mental retardation; a reassessment

Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan

The prevalence of mental retardation in children exposed in utero to the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki has been re-evaluated in reference to gestational age and tissue dose in the fetus. There was no risk at 0–8 weeks postconception. The highest risk of forebrain damage occurred at 8–15 weeks of gestational age, the time when the most rapid proliferation of neuronal elements and when most, if not all, neuroblast migration to the cerebral cortex from the proliferative zones is occurring. Overall, the risk is five or more times greater in these weeks than in subsequent ones. In the critical period, damage expressed as the frequency of subsequent mental retardation appears to be linearly related to the dose received by the fetus. A linear model is not equally applicable to radiation-related mental retardation after the 15th week, the observed values suggesting that there a threshold may exist. The data are consistent with a probability of occurrence of mental retardation of 0.40% per cGy or 40% per gray.

^* Present address: Center for Demographic and Population Genetics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, P.O. Box 20334, Houston, Texas 77025 U.S.A.

Received for publication September 1, 1983. Accepted for publication December 1, 1983.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				O. Eskandar, S. Eckford, and T. Watkinson Safety of diagnostic imaging in pregnancy. Part 1: X-ray, nuclear medicine investigations, computed tomography and contrast media Obstet Gynaecol (Lond), April 1, 2010; 12(2): 71 - 78. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Klieger-Grossmann, N. Djokanovic, D. Chitayat, and G. Koren In utero exposure to therapeutic radiation for Hodgkin lymphoma Can Fam Physician, October 1, 2009; 55(10): 988 - 991. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. B. Joseph, D. Reisfeld, E. Tirosh, Z. Silman, and G. Rennert Neurobehavioral and Cognitive Performances of Children Exposed to Low-Dose Radiation in the Chernobyl Accident: The Israeli Chernobyl Health Effects Study Am. J. Epidemiol., September 1, 2004; 160(5): 453 - 459. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. L. Brent Utilization of Animal Studies to Determine the Effects and Human Risks of Environmental Toxicants (Drugs, Chemicals, and Physical Agents) Pediatrics, April 1, 2004; 113(4/S1): 984 - 995. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. L. Brent, F. A. Mettler, G. Y. El-Khoury, M. E. Blake, M. T. Madsen, and J. Yankowitz Pregnancy Policy Am. J. Roentgenol., March 1, 2004; 182(3): 819 - 822. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Grondin, K. Matthews, M. McEntee, L. Rainford, M. Casey, M. Tonra, E. Al-Qattan, T. McCrudden, M. Foley, and P. C. Brennan Dose-reducing strategies in combination offers substantial potential benefits to females requiring X-ray examination Radiat Prot Dosimetry, January 15, 2004; 108(2): 123 - 132. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Hall, H.-O. Adami, D. Trichopoulos, N. L Pedersen, P. Lagiou, A. Ekbom, M. Ingvar, M. Lundell, and F. Granath Effect of low doses of ionising radiation in infancy on cognitive function in adulthood: Swedish population based cohort study BMJ, January 3, 2004; 328(7430): 19. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Dolk and M. Vrijheid The impact of environmental pollution on congenital anomalies Br. Med. Bull., December 1, 2003; 68(1): 25 - 45. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Miyamoto, A. S. LaMantia, G. E. Duncan, P. Sullivan, J. H. Gilmore, and J. A. Lieberman Recent Advances in the Neurobiology of Schizophrenia Mol. Interv., February 1, 2003; 3(1): 27 - 39. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. L. Harm, R. T. Jennings, J. V. Meck, M. R. Powell, L. Putcha, C. P. Sams, S. M. Schneider, L. C. Shackelford, S. M. Smith, and P. A. Whitson Genome and Hormones: Gender Differences in Physiology: Invited Review: Gender issues related to spaceflight: a NASA perspective J Appl Physiol, November 1, 2001; 91(5): 2374 - 2383. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Susser and B. Levin Ordeals for the fetal programming hypothesis BMJ, April 3, 1999; 318(7188): 885 - 886. [Full Text]

				L. Anspaugh, R. Catlin, and M Goldman The global impact of the Chernobyl reactor accident Science, December 16, 1988; 242(4885): 1513 - 1519. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. A. Mednick, R. A. Machon, M. O. Huttunen, and D. Bonett Adult Schizophrenia Following Prenatal Exposure to an Influenza Epidemic Arch Gen Psychiatry, February 1, 1988; 45(2): 189 - 192. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M Goldman Chernobyl: a radiobiological perspective Science, October 30, 1987; 238(4827): 622 - 623. [PDF]