Electromagnetic field effect or simply stress? Effects of UMTS exposure on hippocampal longterm plasticity in the context of procedure related hormone release.

PloS one · 2011 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 4462

Cage-exposed animals showed significantly increased CORT and ACTH levels regardless of EMF exposure, corresponding with generally decreased hippocampal LTP/LTD field potential measures. Animals exposed at 2 W/kg did not differ from sham in LTP/LTD, while expo…

Study snapshot

PublicationPloS one · 2011

Study typeanimal

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Harmful effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on cognitive and behavioural features of humans and rodents have been controversially discussed and raised persistent concern about adverse effects of EMF on general brain functions. In the present study we applied radio-frequency (RF) signals of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) to full brain exposed male Wistar rats in order to elaborate putative influences on stress hormone release (corticosteron; CORT and adrenocorticotropic hormone; ACTH) and on hippocampal derived synaptic long-term plasticity (LTP) and depression (LTD) as electrophysiological hallmarks for memory storage and memory consolidation. Exposure was computer controlled providing blind conditions. Nominal brain-averaged specific absorption rates (SAR) as a measure of applied mass-related dissipated RF power were 0, 2, and 10 W/kg over a period of 120 min. Comparison of cage exposed animals revealed, regardless of EMF exposure, significantly increased CORT and ACTH levels which corresponded with generally decreased field potential slopes and amplitudes in hippocampal LTP and LTD. Animals following SAR exposure of 2 W/kg (averaged over the whole brain of 2.3 g tissue mass) did not differ from the sham-exposed group in LTP and LTD experiments. In contrast, a significant reduction in LTP and LTD was observed at the high power rate of SAR (10 W/kg). The results demonstrate that a rate of 2 W/kg displays no adverse impact on LTP and LTD, while 10 W/kg leads to significant effects on the electrophysiological parameters, which can be clearly distinguished from the stress derived background. Our findings suggest that UMTS exposure with SAR in the range of 2 W/kg is not harmful to critical markers for memory storage and memory consolidation, however, an influence of UMTS at high energy absorption rates (10 W/kg) cannot be excluded.

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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

PopulationMale Wistar rats (full brain exposed)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureRF · 120 min

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Outcomes measured

Stress hormone release (corticosterone/CORT, adrenocorticotropic hormone/ACTH)
Hippocampal synaptic long-term potentiation (LTP)
Hippocampal synaptic long-term depression (LTD)
Field potential slopes and amplitudes (electrophysiological parameters)

Limitations

Sample size not reported in abstract
UMTS frequency not specified in abstract
Stress/procedure effects increased hormones regardless of EMF exposure, complicating interpretation
Findings are in rats and based on electrophysiological markers rather than behavioral cognitive outcomes

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "UMTS",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "120 min"
  },
  "population": "Male Wistar rats (full brain exposed)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Stress hormone release (corticosterone/CORT, adrenocorticotropic hormone/ACTH)",
    "Hippocampal synaptic long-term potentiation (LTP)",
    "Hippocampal synaptic long-term depression (LTD)",
    "Field potential slopes and amplitudes (electrophysiological parameters)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Cage-exposed animals showed significantly increased CORT and ACTH levels regardless of EMF exposure, corresponding with generally decreased hippocampal LTP/LTD field potential measures. Animals exposed at 2 W/kg did not differ from sham in LTP/LTD, while exposure at 10 W/kg produced a significant reduction in LTP and LTD.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Sample size not reported in abstract",
    "UMTS frequency not specified in abstract",
    "Stress/procedure effects increased hormones regardless of EMF exposure, complicating interpretation",
    "Findings are in rats and based on electrophysiological markers rather than behavioral cognitive outcomes"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "UMTS",
    "radio-frequency",
    "RF",
    "specific absorption rate",
    "SAR",
    "Wistar rat",
    "hippocampus",
    "long-term potentiation",
    "LTP",
    "long-term depression",
    "LTD",
    "corticosterone",
    "CORT",
    "ACTH",
    "stress"
  ],
  "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: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019437
PubMed: 21573218

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