Adenylate cyclase responses in rat brain after unilateral postnatal X-irradiation

When unilateral x-irradiation was directed to the area of the posterior cerebral cortex overlying the hippocampus of the neonatal rat, histologic damage was observed in the hippocampus (previous observations), pia-arachnoid (cellular proliferation), and retina (two layers of bipolar cells and damage to visual receptor area and diminished number of ganglion cells). Light microscopy did not reveal any remarkable cellular alterations in parenchymal or capillary tissue of the posterior cerebrum. The most prominent deficits in norepinephrine sensitivity of adenylate cyclase occurred in the pia-arachnoid > hippocampus > posterior cerebrum. The associated capillaries were unchanged and in the retina the enzyme displayed an enhanced sensitivity to dopamine.