900 MHz electromagnetic field exposure affects qualitative and quantitative features of hippocampal pyramidal cells in the adult female rat.
Abstract
The effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted by mobile phones on humans hold special interest due to their use in close proximity to the brain. The current study investigated the number of pyramidal cells in the cornu ammonis (CA) of the 16-week-old female rat hippocampus following postnatal exposure to a 900 megahertz (MHz) EMF. In this study were three groups of 6 rats: control (Cont), sham exposed (Sham), and EMF exposed (EMF). EMF group rats were exposed to 900 MHz EMF (1 h/day for 28 days) in an exposure tube. Sham group was placed in the exposure tube but not exposed to EMF (1 h/day for 28 days). Cont group was not placed into the exposure tube nor were they exposed to EMF during the study period. In EMF group rats, the specific energy absorption rate (SAR) varied between 0.016 (whole body) and 2 W/kg (locally in the head). All of the rats were sacrificed at the end of the experiment and the number of pyramidal cells in the CA was estimated using the optical fractionator technique. Histopathological evaluations were made on sections of the CA region of the hippocampus. Results showed that postnatal EMF exposure caused a significant decrease of the pyramidal cell number in the CA of the EMF group (P<0.05). Additionally, cell loss can be seen in the CA region of EMF group even at qualitative observation. These results may encourage researchers to evaluate the chronic effects of 900 MHz EMF on teenagers' brains.
AI evidence extraction
Main findings
Rats exposed postnatally to 900 MHz EMF (1 h/day for 28 days) showed a significant decrease in the number of pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA region compared with controls (P<0.05). Qualitative histopathological observation also indicated cell loss in the CA region in the EMF-exposed group.
Outcomes measured
- Number of hippocampal pyramidal cells in cornu ammonis (CA)
- Histopathological/qualitative evaluation of CA region cell loss
Limitations
- Small group sizes (three groups of 6 rats)
- Animal study; human relevance not directly assessed
- Exposure delivered in an exposure tube; potential stress/confinement effects (sham tube control included)
View raw extracted JSON
{
"study_type": "animal",
"exposure": {
"band": "RF",
"source": "mobile phone",
"frequency_mhz": 900,
"sar_wkg": 2,
"duration": "1 h/day for 28 days (postnatal exposure)"
},
"population": "16-week-old female rats",
"sample_size": 18,
"outcomes": [
"Number of hippocampal pyramidal cells in cornu ammonis (CA)",
"Histopathological/qualitative evaluation of CA region cell loss"
],
"main_findings": "Rats exposed postnatally to 900 MHz EMF (1 h/day for 28 days) showed a significant decrease in the number of pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA region compared with controls (P<0.05). Qualitative histopathological observation also indicated cell loss in the CA region in the EMF-exposed group.",
"effect_direction": "harm",
"limitations": [
"Small group sizes (three groups of 6 rats)",
"Animal study; human relevance not directly assessed",
"Exposure delivered in an exposure tube; potential stress/confinement effects (sham tube control included)"
],
"evidence_strength": "low",
"confidence": 0.85999999999999998667732370449812151491641998291015625,
"peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
"keywords": [
"900 MHz",
"RF-EMF",
"mobile phone",
"hippocampus",
"cornu ammonis",
"pyramidal cells",
"SAR",
"rat",
"postnatal exposure",
"histopathology",
"optical fractionator"
],
"suggested_hubs": []
}
AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.
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