Purkinje cell number decreases in the adult female rat cerebellum following exposure to 900 MHz electromagnetic field.

Abstract

The biological effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from mobile phones have growing concern among scientists since there are some reports showing increased risk for human health, especially in the use of mobile phones for a long duration. In the presented study, the effects on the number of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum of 16-week (16 weeks) old female rats were investigated following exposure to 900 MHz EMF. Three groups of rats, a control group (CG), sham exposed group (SG) and an electromagnetic field exposed group (EMFG) were used in this study. While EMFG group rats were exposed to 900 MHz EMF (1h/day for 28 days) in an exposure tube, SG was placed in the exposure tube but not exposed to EMF (1h/day for 28 days). The specific energy absorption rate (SAR) varied between 0.016 (whole body) and 2 W/kg (locally in the head). The CG was not placed into the exposure tube nor was it exposed to EMF during the study period. At the end of the experiment, all of the female rats were sacrificed and the number of Purkinje cells was estimated using a stereological counting technique. Histopathological evaluations were also done on sections of the cerebellum. Results showed that the total number of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum of the EMFG was significantly lower than those of CG (p<0.004) and SG (p<0.002). In addition, there was no significant difference at the 0.05 level between the rats' body and brain weights in the EMFG and CG or SG. Therefore, it is suggested that long duration exposure to 900 MHz EMF leads to decreases of Purkinje cell numbers in the female rat cerebellum.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Rats exposed to 900 MHz EMF had a significantly lower total number of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum compared with both control and sham-exposed groups. No significant differences were reported in body or brain weights between exposed and control/sham groups.

Outcomes measured

• Total number of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum (stereological estimate)
• Histopathological evaluation of cerebellum sections
• Body weight
• Brain weight

Limitations

• Sample size not reported in the provided abstract.
• Animal study; generalizability to humans is uncertain.
• Exposure described as in an exposure tube; relevance to typical real-world mobile phone exposure is not established in the abstract.
• SAR reported as a range (whole body to local head), making the effective dose for key tissues unclear.

Suggested hubs

• rf-mobile-phones (0.9)
  Study examines 900 MHz RF exposure described as from mobile phones and its biological effects in rats.

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    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "mobile phone",
        "frequency_mhz": 900,
        "sar_wkg": 2,
        "duration": "1 h/day for 28 days"
    },
    "population": "16-week-old female rats",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Total number of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum (stereological estimate)",
        "Histopathological evaluation of cerebellum sections",
        "Body weight",
        "Brain weight"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Rats exposed to 900 MHz EMF had a significantly lower total number of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum compared with both control and sham-exposed groups. No significant differences were reported in body or brain weights between exposed and control/sham groups.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Sample size not reported in the provided abstract.",
        "Animal study; generalizability to humans is uncertain.",
        "Exposure described as in an exposure tube; relevance to typical real-world mobile phone exposure is not established in the abstract.",
        "SAR reported as a range (whole body to local head), making the effective dose for key tissues unclear."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "900 MHz",
        "RF-EMF",
        "mobile phone",
        "rat",
        "female",
        "cerebellum",
        "Purkinje cells",
        "stereology",
        "SAR",
        "histopathology"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "rf-mobile-phones",
            "weight": 0.90000000000000002220446049250313080847263336181640625,
            "reason": "Study examines 900 MHz RF exposure described as from mobile phones and its biological effects in rats."
        }
    ]
}

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