The Impacts of FLASH Radiation Therapy and Conventional Radiation Therapy on the Cognitive Abilities of Mice.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Preclinical studies have demonstrated that FLASH radiation therapy (RT) delivered at ultrahigh-dose rates exerts a preferential normal tissue-sparing effect. This study aimed to delineate the disparities in delayed cognitive function and biological outcomes of whole-brain irradiation in healthy mice, comparing FLASH-RT with conventional RT (CONV-RT).

Methods and materials

Eighty adult male C57BL/6J mice were divided into 5 groups: Sham, CONV-RT10Gy, CONV-RT20Gy, FLASH-RT10Gy, and FLASH-RT20Gy. Whole-brain irradiation was conducted on mice using a miniaturized x-ray FLASH platform at field-average dose rates of 2 Gy/min for CONV-RT and 213 Gy/s for FLASH-RT. Two months after irradiation, we assessed the mice's cognitive function and the number of astrocytes and neuron

SUBMITTER: He R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12754397 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature