Medical/biological Study (experimental study)

Histopathological examinations of rat brains after long-term exposure to GSM-900 mobile phone radiation. med./biol.

PubMed Entry

Journal web site

Aim of study (according to author)
To study the histopathological effects of repeated exposures for a long period to GSM-900 irradiation on rat brains.
Background/further details:
A total of 56 rats was divided into three groups: 1) exposure groups (n=32): 16 animals per exposure group, 2) sham exposure group (n=16) and 3) cage control group (n=8). Five to seven weeks after the last exposure (during this time interval the memory tests were performed), the animals, at an age of 18-20 months, were anaesthetized and killed.

Endpoint

• effects on the neurological system: neuronal damage, blood-brain barrier permeability and effects on ageing process and memory

Exposure
General category: mobile communication system, mobile phone, digital mobile phone, GSM

Field characteristics	Parameters
900 MHz exposure duration: 2 hr/week for 55 weeks	SAR: 0.6 mW/kg average over mass (whole body) SAR: 60 mW/kg average over mass (whole body)

Exposed system:
animal (species/strain): rat/Fischer 344
whole body exposure

Methods
Endpoint/Measurement parameters/Methodology

• morphological/histopathological changes: see "effects on neurological system"
• effects on the neurological system: blood-brain barrier permeability (diffuse occurence and foci of albumin, albumin extravasation: microscopy, immunostaining for albumin) and nerve cell damage (occurence of damaged "dark" neurons: cresyl violet staining); effects on ageing process (lipofuscin aggregation (Sudan Black B staining); signs of cytoskeletal and neuritic neuronal changes; silver staining method); number and density of astrocytes (GFAP immunohistochemistry)
• cognitive/behavioral endpoints: memory (episodic-like memory test)
• others: body weight

Main outcome of study (according to author)
No significant alteration of any of these histopathological parameters was found, when comparing the GSM exposed animals to the sham exposed controls.

(Study character: medical/biological study, experimental study, full/main study)

Study funded by

• Lund University Hospital/Medical Faculty of Lund University, Sweden
• Märit and Hans Rausing Charitable Foundation, UK
• Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (FAS)

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