The Dose-Dependent Effect of Fractionated γ-Radiation on Anxiety-Like Behavior in Neonatal Mice

High doses of ionizing radiation are the risk factor of cognitive dysfunction and anxiety disorders developing in humans and experimental animals. However, the data on the effect of low doses, especially in case of chronic or fractionated exposure, is limited and contradictory. Here we studied the effect of fractionated γ-radiation at cumulative doses of 0.1, 1, and 5 Gy on the parameters of the anxiety-like behavior in neonatal C57BL/6 mice. The anxiety was evaluated using the marble burying test and elevated plus maze. Fractionated irradiation resulted in dose-dependent changes in mouse behavior: the low dose caused an increase in anxiety, wherein the dose raise led to the decrease in anxiety-like behavior indicators compared to non-irradiated animals.