Biological and morphological effects on the brain after exposure of rats to a 1439 MHz TDMA field

Abstract

We investigated the effects of exposure to a 1439 MHz TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) field, as used in cellular phones, on the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), on the morphological changes of the brain, and on body-mass fluctuations. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into three groups of eight rats each. The rats in the EM(+) group, which had their heads arrayed in a circle near the central antenna of an exposure system, were exposed to a 1439 MHz field for one hour a day. The rats in EM(-) group were also in the exposure system, however, without high-frequency electromagnetic wave (HF-EMW) exposure. The animals in the control group were neither placed in the system nor exposed to HF-EMWs. The exposure period was two or four weeks. The energy dose rate peaked at 2 W/kg in the brain; the average over the whole body was 0.25 W/kg. The changes in the permeability of BBB were investigated by Evans blue injection method and by immunostaining of serum albumin. HF-EMWs had no effect on the permeability of BBB. The morphological changes in the cerebellum were investigated by assessing the degeneration of Purkinje cells and the cell concentration in the granular layer. No significant changes were observed in the groups of rats exposed to HF-EMWs for two or four weeks. Averaged body masses were not affected by HF-EMWs exposure. In conclusion, a 1439 MHz TDMA field did not induce observable changes in the permeability of the BBB, morphological changes in the cerebellums, or body mass changes in rats, as evaluated by the conventional methods.

1439 MHz pulsed TDMA fields affect performance of rats in a T‐maze task only when body temperature is elevated

“…The exposure system design was based on a previous report [Burkhardt et al, 1997], and it was the same as that used in a previous study [Tsurita et al, 2000]. In brief, the system consisted of a small anechoic chamber, a round turntable with eight tubes (28 cm in length, 6 cm in diameter), a monopole antenna on the floor, and a cylinder with a fan on the ceiling to provide fresh air.…”

Analysis of rat testicular proteome following 30‐day exposure to 900 MHz electromagnetic field radiation

“…Therefore, biological effects of RF‐EMF and their consequences on human health are receiving increasing scientific interest and have now become an urgent problem. Hematological , pathological , cardiac , endocrine , reproductive , and nervous changes , and also oxidative stress , cataract , and behavioral alterations due to EMF exposure have been evaluated previously by in vivo and in vitro studies. Some recent studies using newer techniques such as immunohistochemistry have investigated effects of radiation exposure on specific proteins .…”

Mobile Phone Use, Blood Lead Levels, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Symptoms in Children: A Longitudinal Study

“…A debate is ongoing over the effect of RF EMF exposure on BBB permeability. Numerous studies have reported no changes in BBB permeability after exposure to RF EMF [17], [22], [23]; changes in permeability (if present) have been attributed to an increase in temperature-induced blood flow [17], [20], [24], [25]. However, other studies [19], [26]–[29] have consistently reported increased BBB permeability after exposure to EMF.…”