Effects of Beta Rays on Central Nervous Tissues

Summary1. The application of small, high-energy, applicators of radium emanation to the cerebral cortex of cats produces restricted lesions in which progressive changes of the cells of that tissue may be followed from normal appearing tissue to that showing complete necrosis over a distance of several millimeters.2. Nerve cells so affected show two types of destruction. One involves lysis of the cytoplasmic structures and degeneration of the nucleus into a small aggregation of basophilic granules. The other consists of chro-mophilic alteration of the cells. The pyramidal cells of layers 2, 3, and 5 seem especially susceptible to this change. The cells become shrunken, extremely heavy staining, and show hypertrophy of the nucleolus.3. The astrocytes are the most susceptible of the various cells of the cerebral cortex. They undergo lysis in the middle zones of the lesions.4. The mesoglial cells, oligodendroglia and microglia, are highly resistant. They show progressive changes, from the edge to the center o...