• Question: Do certain types of radiation effect certain parts of the brain?

    Asked by gandalfthegrey to Fiona, Jane, Joanna, Michelle, William on 21 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Joanna Brooks

      Joanna Brooks answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      Hello! Good question. Radiation means that energy travels through space and is absorbed by other material like the human body. In the brain, radiation can kill nerves, blood vessels and even brain cells. Sometimes radiation is used in small doses to kill brain tumours for example – this is good of course. But if the radiation is not used in a special medical way the brain can lose vital blood vessels, nerves, and cells and would be badly damaged.

    • Photo: Michelle Murphy

      Michelle Murphy answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      Radiation will affect whatever cells it comes into close contact with. I imagine it would affect neurons quite badly as they are slow at dividing and if enough damage was done they may not be able to repair themselves as quickly as skin cells for example.

    • Photo: Fiona Randall

      Fiona Randall answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Hi Gandalfthegrey, there is new stories in the media linking mobile phone radiation to brain tumours. I’m hoping it isn’t always true as I am always on the phone! Radiation can be bad on any body cells-I’m not actually sure if certain types can affect certain brain areas more than others.

    • Photo: William Davies

      William Davies answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      Electromagnetic radiation such as radio waves would tend to affect all parts of the brain equally I think. Radioactive substances emitting things like alpha and beta particles placed in the brain might only affect the regions of the brain near to where they were located.

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