Ionizing radiation is shown not to create any additional lattice defects in yttriumaluminium garnet (YAG) due to their high radiation stability. However, it generates different kinds of electron-hole centres that are stabilized on structural imperfections. In the temperature range 77–300 K three kinds of trapping centres in YAG irradiated by γ-rays have been identified by means of ESR and thermoluminescence technique, namely an electron centre of the first type with g=1.996, stable within the temperature range 77–150 K, a hole centre of the second type (g=2.018) existing up to 250 K and a hole centre of the third type (g=2.016) stable at 300 K. Localisation of these centres in the garnet lattice is discussed and their participation in the luminescence processes considered. The influence of the crystallochemical nature of doped ions (Nd, Ce, Cr) on the stabilization of each of these electron-hole centres has also been studied.