Behavioral effects of neonatal irradiation of the cerebellum. II. Quantitative studies in young-adult and adult rats.

WALLACE, ROBERT B., and ALTMAN, JOSEPH (1969). Behavioral Eflects of Neonatal Irradiation of the Cerebellum. I I . Quantitative Studies in Young-adult and Adult Rats. DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Z(4): 26e-272. Young adult and adult rats whose cerebellum was focally irradiated with a variable number of daily doses of 200 r X-ray during infancy were tested for spontaneous locomotion, in activity wheels, for muscular strength, in a weight-pulling apparatus, and, for skill in coordination, in a rope-climbing apparatus. Spontaneous activity declined as a function of number of daily irradiations; the interaction of treatment, age, and prior experience was also investigated. Weight pulling capacity, as determined by running time in an alleyway, was not affected by irradiation with 1 to 4 X 200 r with loads equalling the rats’ own body weights. Ease of rope climbing was inversely related to the number of daily irradiations in terms of climbing time, number of shocks received, falls off the rope, and other criteria.