Effects of 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz mobile phone radiation on the blood-brain barrier of New Zealand

Abstract

Effects of 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz mobile phone radiation on the blood-brain barrier of New Zealand rabbits Kizilçay AO, Tütüncü B, Koçarslan M, Gözel MA. Effects of 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz mobile phone radiation on the blood-brain barrier of New Zealand rabbits. Med Biol Eng Comput. 2024 Nov 16. doi: 10.1007/s11517-024-03238-1. Abstract In this study, the impact of mobile phone radiation on blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability was investigated. A total of 21 New Zealand rabbits were used for the experiments, divided into three groups, each consisting of 7 rabbits. One group served as the control, while the other two were exposed to electromagnetic radiation at frequencies of 1800 MHz with a distance of 14.5 cm and 2100 MHz with a distance of 17 cm, maintaining a constant power intensity of 15 dBm, for a duration equivalent to the current average daily conversation time of 38 min. The exposure was conducted under non-thermal conditions, with RF radiation levels approximately ten times lower than normal values. Evans blue (EB) dye was used as a marker to assess BBB permeability. EB binds to plasma proteins, and its presence in brain tissue indicates a disruption in BBB integrity, allowing for a quantitative evaluation of radiation- induced permeability changes. Left and right brain tissue samples were analyzed using trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and phosphate-buffered solution (PBS) solutions to measure EB amounts at 620 nm via spectrophotometry. After the experiments, BBB tissue samples were collected from the right and left brains of all rabbits in the three groups and subjected to a series of medical procedures. Samples from Group 1 were compared with those from Group 2 and Group 3 using statistical methods to determine if there were any significant differences. As a result, it was found that there was no statistically significant difference in the BBB of rabbits exposed to 1800 MHz radiation, whereas there was a statistically significant difference at a 95% confidence level in the BBB of rabbits exposed to 2100 MHz radiation. A decrease in EB values was observed upon the arithmetic examination of the BBB. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Excerpts When compromised, the BBB is linked to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and multiple sclerosis, leading researchers to develop models for in vitro studies of its mechanisms [9, 10]. However, BBB permeability can be influenced by various factors, including pathological conditions, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and diabetes, as well as exposure to ionizing and non-ionizing radiation [11]. For instance, radiofrequency (RF) radiation has been shown to increase BBB permeability, allowing normally excluded substances to penetrate the brain, potentially impacting neurological health [5]. Furthermore, ultra-wideband electromagnetic pulses have demonstrated the ability to disrupt BBB integrity in animal models [8].... The two primary frequencies utilized in contemporary mobile telecommunications, 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz, have garnered substantial attention due to their widespread application in cellular networks worldwide [13, 14]. For example, in ref. [15], it has been demonstrated that radiation from mobile phones at 900, 1800, and 2100 MHz frequencies can increase oxidative damage in the frontal lobes of rat brain tissues, an increase in lipid peroxidation, and oxidative DNA damage. Additionally, exposure to 2100 MHz radiofrequency radiation has been shown to induce single-strand breaks in DNA. In ref. [16], it was observed and presented that exposure to 900–1800 MHz radiation caused oxidative stress in the tissues of pregnant mothers and their offspring. In ref. [17], it has been observed that radiofrequency radiation at 2100 MHz can damage the nasal septal mucosa and disrupt mucociliary clearance in rats. While numerous studies have explored the biological effects of radiofrequency radiation, the specific impact of these frequencies on BBB permeability remains an area of ongoing investigation [18,19,20].... Our research was conducted with three distinct groups, each consisting of seven female rabbits with an average weight ranging from 2 to 5 kg. These groups were categorized as follows: with “N” signifying the number of subjects in each group: Group I, control female group (N = 7); Group II, 1800 MHz GSM group (N = 7); and Group III, 2100 MHz GSM group (N = 7).... The exposure duration of rabbits to RF radiation was determined to be 38 min, taking into account the current average daily talk time of 19 min for mobile phone users [29].... It is evident that various studies have investigated the impact of electromagnetic radiation at different frequencies on brain tissue. The analysis of these studies indicates that while lower frequencies may affect brain structure over a longer time frame, higher frequencies like 2.1 GHz have more immediate, statistically significant impacts, suchas compromising BBB integrity. This comparison underscores the importance of further investigating the threshold effects of different frequencies, especially those commonly used in mobile telecommunications.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

In 21 rabbits randomized into control, 1800 MHz exposure, and 2100 MHz exposure groups (n=7 each), BBB permeability was assessed using Evans blue dye quantification. The study reports no statistically significant difference in BBB measures for the 1800 MHz group versus control, while reporting a statistically significant difference (95% confidence level) for the 2100 MHz group versus control. The abstract notes an arithmetic decrease in Evans blue values in relation to BBB examination.

Outcomes measured

• Blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability (Evans blue dye in brain tissue)

Limitations

• Small sample size (n=7 per group).
• Exposure metric reported as power intensity (15 dBm) and distances, but SAR not provided in the abstract.
• Single short exposure duration (38 minutes) with no long-term follow-up described.
• Direction/interpretation of the Evans blue change is unclear from the abstract (decrease reported, while Evans blue is typically used as a disruption marker).
• Details of statistical tests and effect sizes are not provided in the abstract.

Suggested hubs

• cell-phones (0.9)
  Study tests mobile phone-relevant RF frequencies (1800/2100 MHz) and reports BBB-related outcomes.

{
    "publication_year": 2024,
    "study_type": "animal",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "mobile phone",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "38 min"
    },
    "population": "New Zealand rabbits (female)",
    "sample_size": 21,
    "outcomes": [
        "Blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability (Evans blue dye in brain tissue)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In 21 rabbits randomized into control, 1800 MHz exposure, and 2100 MHz exposure groups (n=7 each), BBB permeability was assessed using Evans blue dye quantification. The study reports no statistically significant difference in BBB measures for the 1800 MHz group versus control, while reporting a statistically significant difference (95% confidence level) for the 2100 MHz group versus control. The abstract notes an arithmetic decrease in Evans blue values in relation to BBB examination.",
    "effect_direction": "mixed",
    "limitations": [
        "Small sample size (n=7 per group).",
        "Exposure metric reported as power intensity (15 dBm) and distances, but SAR not provided in the abstract.",
        "Single short exposure duration (38 minutes) with no long-term follow-up described.",
        "Direction/interpretation of the Evans blue change is unclear from the abstract (decrease reported, while Evans blue is typically used as a disruption marker).",
        "Details of statistical tests and effect sizes are not provided in the abstract."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "stance": "neutral",
    "stance_confidence": 0.61999999999999999555910790149937383830547332763671875,
    "summary": "This animal study examined whether short-term RF exposure at 1800 MHz or 2100 MHz affects blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability in New Zealand rabbits using Evans blue dye quantification. No statistically significant BBB difference was reported for 1800 MHz exposure versus control, while a statistically significant difference was reported for 2100 MHz exposure versus control. The abstract also reports a decrease in Evans blue values, but the biological interpretation of this change is not clearly explained in the abstract.",
    "key_points": [
        "Twenty-one rabbits were divided into three groups (control, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz) with 7 animals per group.",
        "Exposures were conducted for 38 minutes at a constant reported power intensity of 15 dBm and specified distances from the source.",
        "The study states exposures were under non-thermal conditions and at RF levels approximately ten times lower than normal values.",
        "BBB permeability was assessed by measuring Evans blue dye in left and right brain tissue via spectrophotometry at 620 nm.",
        "No statistically significant BBB difference was reported for the 1800 MHz group compared with control.",
        "A statistically significant BBB difference (95% confidence level) was reported for the 2100 MHz group compared with control.",
        "The abstract notes an arithmetic decrease in Evans blue values, without clearly stating how this maps to BBB disruption in this experiment."
    ],
    "categories": [
        "Animal Studies",
        "RF Exposure",
        "Blood-Brain Barrier"
    ],
    "tags": [
        "New Zealand Rabbits",
        "Radiofrequency Radiation",
        "Mobile Phone Frequencies",
        "1800 MHz",
        "2100 MHz",
        "Blood-Brain Barrier",
        "BBB Permeability",
        "Evans Blue Dye",
        "Non-Thermal Exposure",
        "Spectrophotometry"
    ],
    "keywords": [
        "1800 MHz",
        "2100 MHz",
        "mobile phone radiation",
        "radiofrequency",
        "blood-brain barrier",
        "BBB permeability",
        "Evans blue",
        "rabbit"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "cell-phones",
            "weight": 0.90000000000000002220446049250313080847263336181640625,
            "reason": "Study tests mobile phone-relevant RF frequencies (1800/2100 MHz) and reports BBB-related outcomes."
        }
    ],
    "social": {
        "tweet": "Rabbit study (n=21) assessed blood–brain barrier permeability after 38 min RF exposure at 1800 vs 2100 MHz using Evans blue dye. No significant difference was reported at 1800 MHz, while a significant difference was reported at 2100 MHz; interpretation of the reported Evans blue decrease is unclear from the abstract.",
        "facebook": "A 2024 animal study exposed New Zealand rabbits to 1800 MHz or 2100 MHz RF for 38 minutes and measured blood–brain barrier permeability using Evans blue dye. The abstract reports no significant change at 1800 MHz but a significant difference at 2100 MHz versus control, though the meaning of the reported decrease in Evans blue values is not clearly explained in the abstract.",
        "linkedin": "Animal study (2024) on mobile-telecom RF (1800 vs 2100 MHz) and blood–brain barrier permeability in rabbits (n=21). Using Evans blue dye quantification, the authors report no significant difference at 1800 MHz and a significant difference at 2100 MHz vs control; details and interpretation of the Evans blue change are limited in the abstract."
    }
}

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