Impact of Cerebral Radiofrequency Exposures on Oxidative Stress and Corticosterone in a Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease

2019 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 1634

RF-EMF head exposures for 1 month did not modify memory performance in either AD-model or control rats. In control rats, RF-EMF was associated with a correlative increase of cortical HO1 staining. In AD rats, RF-EMF exposures induced a correlative increase of…

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2019

Study typeanimal

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Impact of Cerebral Radiofrequency Exposures on Oxidative Stress and Corticosterone in a Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease Bouji M, Lecomte A, Gamez C, Blazy K, Villégier AS. Impact of Cerebral Radiofrequency Exposures on Oxidative Stress and Corticosterone in a Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2019 Nov 25. doi: 10.3233/JAD-190593. Abstract BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of neurodegenerative disease leading to dementia. Several studies suggested that mobile phone radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposures modified AD memory deficits in rodent models. OBJECTIVE: Here we aimed to test the hypothesis that RF-EMF exposure may modify memory through corticosterone and oxidative stress in the Samaritan rat model of AD. METHODS: Long-Evans male rats received intracerebroventricular infusion with ferrous sulphate, amyloid-beta 1-42 peptide, and buthionine-sufloximine (AD rats) or with vehicle (control rats). To mimic cell phone use, RF- EMF were exposed to the head for 1 month (5 days/week, in restraint). To look for hazard thresholds, high brain averaged specific absorption rates (BASAR) were tested: 1.5 W/Kg (15 min), 6 W/Kg (15 min), and 6 W/Kg (45 min). The sham group was in restraint for 45 min. Endpoints were spatial memory in the radial maze, plasmatic corticosterone, heme oxygenase-1 (HO1), and amyloid plaques. RESULTS: Results indicated similar corticosterone levels but impaired memory performances and increased cerebral staining of thioflavine and of HO1 in the sham AD rats compared to the controls. A correlative increase of cortical HO1 staining was the only effect of RF-EMF in control rats. In AD rats, RF-EMF exposures induced a correlative increase of hippocampal HO1 staining and reduced corticosterone. DISCUSSION: According to our data, neither AD nor control rats showed modified memory after RF-EMF exposures. Unlike control rats, AD rats showed higher hippocampal oxidative stress and reduced corticosterone with the higher BASAR. This data suggests more fragility related to neurodegenerative disease toward RF-EMF exposures. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeanimal

Effect directionmixed

PopulationLong-Evans male rats; Samaritan rat model of Alzheimer's disease (intracerebroventricular infusion model) and vehicle controls

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureRF · 6 W/kg · 1 month (5 days/week); sessions of 15 min or 45 min; head exposure in restraint

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Outcomes measured

Spatial memory (radial maze)
Plasmatic corticosterone
Heme oxygenase-1 (HO1) staining (oxidative stress marker)
Amyloid plaques (thioflavine staining)

Limitations

Frequency of RF exposure not reported in abstract
Sample size not reported in abstract
Details of randomization/blinding not reported in abstract
Some reported effects described as correlative rather than clearly causal

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": 6,
    "duration": "1 month (5 days/week); sessions of 15 min or 45 min; head exposure in restraint"
  },
  "population": "Long-Evans male rats; Samaritan rat model of Alzheimer's disease (intracerebroventricular infusion model) and vehicle controls",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Spatial memory (radial maze)",
    "Plasmatic corticosterone",
    "Heme oxygenase-1 (HO1) staining (oxidative stress marker)",
    "Amyloid plaques (thioflavine staining)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "RF-EMF head exposures for 1 month did not modify memory performance in either AD-model or control rats. In control rats, RF-EMF was associated with a correlative increase of cortical HO1 staining. In AD rats, RF-EMF exposures induced a correlative increase of hippocampal HO1 staining and reduced corticosterone, particularly with higher BASAR.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Frequency of RF exposure not reported in abstract",
    "Sample size not reported in abstract",
    "Details of randomization/blinding not reported in abstract",
    "Some reported effects described as correlative rather than clearly causal"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "radiofrequency",
    "RF-EMF",
    "mobile phone",
    "specific absorption rate",
    "BASAR",
    "Alzheimer's disease model",
    "rats",
    "oxidative stress",
    "heme oxygenase-1",
    "corticosterone",
    "memory",
    "radial maze"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.3233/jad-190593
PubMed: Not supplied

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