Biological effects of exposure to 2650 MHz electromagnetic radiation on the behavior, learning, and memory of mice

Abstract

Biological effects of exposure to 2650 MHz electromagnetic radiation on the behavior, learning, and memory of mice Zheng R, Zhang X, Gao Y, Gao D, Gong W, Zhang C, Dong G, Li Z. Biological effects of exposure to 2650 MHz electromagnetic radiation on the behavior, learning, and memory of mice. Brain Behav. 2023 Apr 28:e3004. doi: 10.1002/brb3.3004. AbstractBackground: With the development of communication technology, the public is paying increasing attention to whether electromagnetic radiation is harmful to health. Mobile phone communication has entered the 5G era, and there are almost no reports on electromagnetic radiation at 2650 MHz. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the risk of adverse effects of 5G mobile phone EMR exposure on the human brain. Methods: Male animals were continuously exposed to 2650 MHz-EMR for 28 days with a whole-body averaged specific absorption rate (WBSAR) of 2.06 W/kg for 4 h per day. Mouse behavior was assessed using the open- field test (OFT), elevated-plus maze (EPM), and tail suspension test (TST). The Morris water maze (MWM), HE staining, and TUNEL staining were used to evaluate the spatial memory ability and pathological morphology of hippocampal dentate gyrus cells. Additionally, the expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glucocorticoid (GR) in the hippocampus were detected by western blotting and immunohistochemistry, while the corticosterone (CORT) level in serum was detected by ELISA. Results: In the OFT, the total distance traveled, central distance traveled, and residence time significantly decreased in the EMR exposure group (p < .05). In EPM, the percentage of the number of times to open the arm and the percentage of time to open the arm significantly decreased in the EMR exposure group. However, in the TST, the two groups had no significant difference in the 4-min immobility time. In the MWM, the escape latency of the EMR exposure group was shorter than that of the control group, with no significant difference. Furthermore, CORT levels in serum were significantly increased in the EMR exposure group (p < .05), while the expression of BDNF and GR proteins in the hippocampus was reduced (p < .05), but there was no significant difference in GABA expression. Conclusions: Our results indicate that exposure to 2650 MHz-EMR (WBSAR: 2.06 W/kg, 28 days, 4 h per day) had no significant effect on the spatial memory ability of mice (in comparison to little effect). The exposure may be associated with anxiety-like behavior in mice but not related to depression-like behavior in mice. Open access paper: onlinelibrary.wiley.com

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Compared with controls, exposed mice showed decreased activity/center measures in the open-field test and reduced open-arm time/entries in the elevated-plus maze, while tail suspension immobility did not differ significantly. Morris water maze escape latency was shorter in the exposed group but not significantly different, and the authors conclude no significant effect on spatial memory. Serum corticosterone increased and hippocampal BDNF and GR decreased; GABA did not significantly change.

Outcomes measured

• Behavior (open-field test: locomotion/center time)
• Anxiety-like behavior (elevated-plus maze)
• Depression-like behavior (tail suspension test)
• Spatial learning/memory (Morris water maze)
• Hippocampal dentate gyrus pathology (HE staining, TUNEL)
• Hippocampal protein expression (BDNF, GABA, GR)
• Serum corticosterone (CORT)

Limitations

• Sample size not reported in provided abstract/metadata
• Only male animals studied
• Exposure conditions may not directly represent typical human 5G exposures (whole-body averaged SAR 2.06 W/kg; 4 h/day for 28 days)
• Some outcomes show no significant differences (e.g., TST, MWM), while others do, complicating overall interpretation

Suggested hubs

• 5g-policy (0.6)
  Study explicitly frames 2650 MHz exposure as relevant to the 5G era and evaluates potential brain/behavior effects.

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    "study_type": "animal",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "5G mobile phone EMR (simulated/experimental exposure)",
        "frequency_mhz": 2650,
        "sar_wkg": 2.060000000000000053290705182007513940334320068359375,
        "duration": "28 days, 4 h/day (continuous exposure per day)"
    },
    "population": "Male mice",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Behavior (open-field test: locomotion/center time)",
        "Anxiety-like behavior (elevated-plus maze)",
        "Depression-like behavior (tail suspension test)",
        "Spatial learning/memory (Morris water maze)",
        "Hippocampal dentate gyrus pathology (HE staining, TUNEL)",
        "Hippocampal protein expression (BDNF, GABA, GR)",
        "Serum corticosterone (CORT)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Compared with controls, exposed mice showed decreased activity/center measures in the open-field test and reduced open-arm time/entries in the elevated-plus maze, while tail suspension immobility did not differ significantly. Morris water maze escape latency was shorter in the exposed group but not significantly different, and the authors conclude no significant effect on spatial memory. Serum corticosterone increased and hippocampal BDNF and GR decreased; GABA did not significantly change.",
    "effect_direction": "mixed",
    "limitations": [
        "Sample size not reported in provided abstract/metadata",
        "Only male animals studied",
        "Exposure conditions may not directly represent typical human 5G exposures (whole-body averaged SAR 2.06 W/kg; 4 h/day for 28 days)",
        "Some outcomes show no significant differences (e.g., TST, MWM), while others do, complicating overall interpretation"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
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        "mice",
        "anxiety-like behavior",
        "open-field test",
        "elevated-plus maze",
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}

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