• experimental
  
• epidemiological
  

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Medical/biological Study (experimental study)

The effect of electromagnetic radiation in the mobile phone range on the behaviour of the rat. med./biol.

PubMed Entry

Aim of study (according to author)
The authors hypothesize that exposure to electromagnetic fields early in life of rat pups will lead to abnormal brain development impacting negatively on their behaviour during adulthood. They subsequently performed behavioural, histological and biochemical tests on exposed and unexposed rats to determine the effects of electromagnetic fields on learning and memory, emotional states and corticosterone levels.
Background/further details:
Rat pups and their dams were exposed to electromagnetic fields for 3 h per day from postnatal day 2 to postnatal day 14. On postnatal day 22 rat pups were divided into six males und six females per group. Behavioural assessments started on postnatal day 58. On postnatal day 62 the rats were sacrificed for the collection of plasma and brain tissue.

Endpoint

• effects on the neurological system: learning and memory, emotional states, corticosterone levels, and brain histology

Exposure
General category: mobile phone

Field characteristics	Parameters
840 MHz exposure duration: continuous for 3 hr/day from day 2 to day 14 after birth	power: 0.38 mW (transmitted power) power: 0.01 µW (received power) power flux density: 60 µW/m² (at 0.93 m from the antenna) electric field strength: 8.95 mV/m (79.04 dBµV/m)

Exposed system:
animal (species/strain): rat/Sprague-Dawley
whole body exposure

Methods
Endpoint/Measurement parameters/Methodology

• endocrine changes: plasma corticosterone levels (immunoassay)
• effects on the neurological system: brain histology (cresyl violet staining; light microscopy)
• cognitive/behavioural endpoints: learning and memory (Morris water maze), emotional states, mood disturbances, and anxiety-like behaviour (open field test: locomotor activity, exploratory behaviour, grooming)

Main outcome of study (according to author)
Morphological analysis of the hippocampal granular and pyramidal cells and of the cortical region revealed that the cells were intact and that there were no significant differences in neuron structure between control and exposed brains.
Although there were no significant differences in corticosterone levels between the groups, a trend was noted for exposed female rats to higher corticosterone levels compared to unexposed female controls.
The data showed that electromagnetic field exposure may cause behavioural changes as evidenced by a decrease in locomotor activity, increased grooming and freezing behaviour in exposed male rats. These a!terations in behaviour have been associated with animal models of stress-related disorders and therefore suggest that electromagnetic field exposure may be an environmental risk factor in the development of behavioural abnormalities. The authors recognise that the obtained evidence is limited, and that further investigations are required.

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

Study funded by

• not stated

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