Revision 1
March 19, 1998

by Radiation, Science, and Health, Inc.,
Edited by J. Muckerheide

1.2.1
Japanese atomic bomb survivors

1.2.1.4
Genetic Effects

"Anticipated mutations and genetic abnormalities in children born of parents exposed to low doses of radiation from atomic bombs were not found. Phenotypic mutations were not found in 77,000 children of the Japanese atomic bomb survivors using a most sensitive technique of changes in electrophoretic patterns of serum proteins. (Jablon, 1990; Neel, 1980; Schull, 1981) About 1000 of these were exposed in utero. The number of offspring involved in the biochemical genetics study was 45,000; 33,000 in the cytogenetics study. The exquisitely sensitive method of electrophoretic pattems of serum proteins can detect molecular and intramolecular changes due to DNA damage. This method showed no unusual changes in 298,868 individual locus tests in children of Japanese who had a great variety of whole-body exposures from the atomic bomb. (Jablon, 1990; Neel, 1980; Schull, 1981) The mutation rate was numerically less in exposed children than in controls; this difference was not significant. (BEIR V, 1990) The decreased head size and poor mental ability reported in these children needs conformation with studies using more rigorously chosen control groups. Stress, infection, malabsorption, malnutrition, and other diseases could cause this syndrome."