Medical/biological Study (experimental study)

In situ detection of gliosis and apoptosis in the brains of young rats exposed in utero to a Wi-Fi signal. med./biol.

Journal web site

Aim of study (according to author)
To assess whether exposure to a WiFi signal had an impact on the central nervous system of young rats exposed in utero and during early life.
Background/further details:
60 pregnant rats were exposed or sham-exposed to a WiFi signal at different SAR values during the last two weeks of gestation (cage control, sham exposure group and three exposure groups à 12 animals). Following the in utero exposure, the pups were divided into two groups: one group continued exposure for 5 weeks after birth (together with the dams and three pups per litter) and the rest of the litter (exposed only in utero) was kept in the animal facility for 5 weeks (n=3-15 per litter). One pup per litter was investigated.

Endpoint

• effects on the neurological system: gliosis and apoptosis in the brains of young rats

Exposure
General category: radio frequency field, W-LAN/WiFi, 2.45 GHz

Field characteristics	Parameters
2.45 GHz exposure duration: continuous for 2 h/day, 5 days/week for 2 weeks (day 6 to day 21 of gestation) or 7 weeks (day 6 to day 21 of gestation + 5 weeks after birth)	SAR: 0.08 W/kg (whole body) (for the dams) SAR: 0.4 W/kg (whole body) (for the dams) SAR: 4 W/kg (whole body) (for the dams) SAR: 9 W/kg peak value (whole body) (9 ± 3 W/kg for the pups)

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

Methods
Endpoint/Measurement parameters/Methodology

• effects on embryo/fetus: see "effects on the neurological system"
• effects on the neurological system: gliosis and apoptosis in the brains of young rats (gliosis/astrocyte activation (GFAP expression of ten different brain areas; immunohistochemistry) and apoptosis (TUNEL assay))

Main outcome of study (according to author)
Under these experimental conditions, whole body exposure in utero with and without extended postnatal exposure to a WiFi signal did not trigger persistent astroglia activation or did not induce apoptosis in the brains of young rats. These data suggest that prenatal exposure to WiFi has no deleterious effects on the integrity of the developing rat brain.

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

Study funded by

• Fondation Santé et Radiofréquences, France
• France Telecom

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