Effect of Quercetin on the Short-term Impairment of Learning Induced by X- rays in Wistar Rats. Nonlinear Regression Analysis of Morris Water Maze Latencies

Neurocognitive impairment is a serious adverse effect of radiation-based therapy [1]. It is well known that ionizing radiations induce oxidative stress on target tissues, mainly through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) [2,3]. Spatial learning and memory are compromised after ionizing irradiation in rats using the Morris water maze test, and antioxidant-based diets are able to improve these radiation-induced behavioural deficits [4]. Quercetin is one of the most commonly found flavonoids in the diet with reportedly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been shown to have radioprotective actions in mice under gammaradiation [5].