Effects of low-dose ionizing radiation on cognitive function and underlying neural mechanisms: A review

Xintian CHEN; Jiaxin YAN; Zikang WANG; Zhi CHENG; Jing LI; Mengjuan SHANG

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Effects of low-dose ionizing radiation on cognitive function and underlying neural mechanisms: A review

VernacularTitle:低剂量电离辐射对认知功能的影响及其神经机制研究进展
Author: Xintian CHEN ¹ ; Jiaxin YAN ¹ ; Zikang WANG ¹ ; Zhi CHENG ² ; Jing LI ² ; Mengjuan SHANG ²
Author Information

1. Air Force Medical University; a Department of Radiation Protection Medicine, Faculty of Military Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment/the Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and Protection, Shaanxi, Xi’an 710032, China; b The First Brigade of Basic Medical College Students, Air Force Medical University, Shaanxi, Xi′an 710032, China; c The Fifth Brigade of Basic Medical College Students, Air Force Medical University, Shaanxi, Xi′an 710032, China;Air Force Medical University; a Department of Radiation Protection Medicine, Faculty of Military Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment/the Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and Protection, Shaanxi, Xi’an 710032, China; b The First Brigade of Basic Medical College Students, Air Force Medical University, Shaanxi, Xi′an 710032, China; c The Fifth Brigade of Basic Medical College Students, Air Force Medical University, Shaanxi, Xi′an 710032, China.
2. Air Force Medical University; a Department of Radiation Protection Medicine, Faculty of Military Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment/the Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and Protection, Shaanxi, Xi’an 710032, China; b The First Brigade of Basic Medical College Students, Air Force Medical University, Shaanxi, Xi′an 710032, China; c The Fifth Brigade of Basic Medical College Students, Air Force Medical University, Shaanxi, Xi′an 710032, China.
Publication Type:Review
Keywords: low-dose ionizing radiation; cognition; microglia; neuroprotection; neurotoxicity
From: Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(9):1149-1156
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: With the extensive application of low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) in medicine, aerospace, and other fields, the potential for exposure among the general population and occupationally exposed workers has increased, raising growing public health concerns regarding its possible effects on cognitive function. Current occupational and environmental radiation protection frameworks are primarily established based on cancer risk estimates derived from epidemiological evidence under high-dose exposure and extrapolation across dose ranges, whereas evidence regarding non-cancer outcomes, including potential cognitive effects of LDIR, remains limited and inconsistent, and the underlying neurobiological mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. This review summarized recent advances in research on the effects of LDIR on cognitive function and the associated neural mechanisms. Existing evidence indicates that LDIR may adversely affect cognitive domains including spatial memory and object recognition memory under certain exposure conditions, with potential mechanisms involving alterations in synaptic plasticity, microglia activation, neurodevelopmental processes, epigenetic regulation, and DNA damage and repair pathways. In contrast, studies using pathological models, including stroke and neurodegenerative diseases, have reported potential protective effects of LDIR, which may be mediated by attenuation of oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and activation of endogenous repair pathways. This indicates that LDIR has both damaging and protective effects on brain function; a deeper understanding of its patterns and mechanisms can provide a scientific basis for establishing occupational and environmental radiation protection standards. Furthermore, re-examining the LDIR risk assessment system may also offer new insights into exploring the therapeutic potential of LDIR for brain diseases.