The effect of a 94 GHz electromagnetic field on neuronal microtubules.

Bioelectromagnetics · 2013 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 4497

Exposure to 94 GHz radiation increased the rate of microtubule assembly in Xenopus spinal cord neurons. The observed effect was reported to be entirely accounted for by a rapid EMF-elicited temperature increase, consistent with heating-mediated cellular effec…

Study snapshot

PublicationBioelectromagnetics · 2013

Study typeanimal

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Hardware that generates electromagnetic waves with wavelengths from 1 to 10 mm (millimeter waves, "MMW") is being used in a variety of applications, including high-speed data communication and medical devices. This raises both practical and fundamental issues concerning the interaction of MMW electromagnetic fields (EMF) with biological tissues. A 94 GHz EMF is of particular interest because a number of applications, such as active denial systems, rely on this specific frequency. Most of the energy associated with MMW radiation is absorbed in the skin and, for a 94 GHz field, the power penetration depth is shallow (≈0.4 mm). At sufficiently high energies, skin heating is expected to activate thermal pain receptors, leading to the perception of pain. In addition to this "thermal" mechanism of action, a number of "non-thermal" effects of MMW fields have been previously reported. Here, we investigated the influence of a 94 GHz EMF on the assembly/disassembly of neuronal microtubules in Xenopus spinal cord neurons. We reasoned that since microtubule array is regulated by a large number of intracellular signaling cascades, it may serve as an exquisitely sensitive reporter for the biochemical status of neuronal cytoplasm. We found that exposure to 94 GHz radiation increases the rate of microtubule assembly and that this effect can be entirely accounted for by the rapid EMF-elicited temperature jump. Our data are consistent with the notion that the cellular effects of a 94 GHz EMF are mediated entirely by cell heating.

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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

PopulationXenopus spinal cord neurons

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposuremmWave · 94000 MHz

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Outcomes measured

Microtubule assembly/disassembly rate in neuronal microtubules
Temperature change (EMF-elicited temperature jump)

Limitations

Exposure duration not reported in abstract
Exposure intensity/SAR not reported in abstract
Sample size not reported in abstract
Study is in Xenopus neurons; generalizability to humans not addressed in abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "mmWave",
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": 94000,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Xenopus spinal cord neurons",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Microtubule assembly/disassembly rate in neuronal microtubules",
    "Temperature change (EMF-elicited temperature jump)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Exposure to 94 GHz radiation increased the rate of microtubule assembly in Xenopus spinal cord neurons. The observed effect was reported to be entirely accounted for by a rapid EMF-elicited temperature increase, consistent with heating-mediated cellular effects.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Exposure duration not reported in abstract",
    "Exposure intensity/SAR not reported in abstract",
    "Sample size not reported in abstract",
    "Study is in Xenopus neurons; generalizability to humans not addressed in abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "94 GHz",
    "millimeter waves",
    "mmWave",
    "electromagnetic field",
    "neuronal microtubules",
    "microtubule assembly",
    "Xenopus",
    "spinal cord neurons",
    "thermal effects",
    "cell heating"
  ],
  "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: 10.1002/bem.21760
PubMed: 23080284

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