Prenatal exposure to 900 MHz, cell-phone electromagnetic fields had no effect on operant-behavior performances of adult rats.

Bioelectromagnetics · 2000 · No effect · Low evidence

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No effectLow evidencePaper 5332

Pregnant Wistar rats were continuously exposed during pregnancy to a low-level 900 MHz, 217 Hz pulse-modulated GSM-like field (0.1 mW/cm^2; modeled whole-body average SAR range 17.5–75 mW/kg). Analyses of adult offspring operant performance scores and IRI pat…

Study snapshot

PublicationBioelectromagnetics · 2000

Study typeanimal

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

To clarify potential health risks of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) used in cellular telephone technology to the developing brain, Wistar rats were continuously exposed during pregnancy to a low-level (0.1 mW/cm(2)) 900 MHz, 217 Hz pulse modulated EMF that approximated the highest legal exposure of normal populations to the radiation of base antennas of the GSM digital cell-phone technology. Whole body average specific absorption rate (SAR) values for the freely roaming, pregnant animals were measured in models; they ranged between 17.5 and 75 mW/kg. The offspring of exposed and of sham-exposed dams were coded and tested later as adults in a battery of ten simultaneously operated test chambers (Skinner boxes) during night time. Eight groups of ten coded animals in each group were tested for learning deficits in a sequence of nine, computer-controlled, 15 h sessions of the food-reinforced contingency Differential Reinforcement of Rate with increasing performance requirements. Two different sets of events were recorded: The food-reinforced lever-pressing activity of the animals and the inter-response intervals (IRIs) between consecutive lever presses. IRI-occurence patterns discriminated consistently between "learners" and "non-learners". Analyses of performance scores and of IRI-patterns both showed that exposure in-utero to the GSM field did not induce any measurable cognitive deficits.

Machine Enhanced Logic

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 directionno_effect

PopulationPregnant Wistar rats and their offspring tested as adults

Sample size80

ExposureRF · 900 MHz · continuously during pregnancy

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Outcomes measured

Operant-behavior performance in adulthood (learning deficits)
Food-reinforced lever-pressing activity
Inter-response intervals (IRIs) between lever presses

Limitations

Whole-body average SAR values were measured in models (not directly in animals)
Exposure described as approximating highest legal exposure from base antennas; generalizability to other exposure scenarios not addressed in abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "base station",
    "frequency_mhz": 900,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "continuously during pregnancy"
  },
  "population": "Pregnant Wistar rats and their offspring tested as adults",
  "sample_size": 80,
  "outcomes": [
    "Operant-behavior performance in adulthood (learning deficits)",
    "Food-reinforced lever-pressing activity",
    "Inter-response intervals (IRIs) between lever presses"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Pregnant Wistar rats were continuously exposed during pregnancy to a low-level 900 MHz, 217 Hz pulse-modulated GSM-like field (0.1 mW/cm^2; modeled whole-body average SAR range 17.5–75 mW/kg). Analyses of adult offspring operant performance scores and IRI patterns found no measurable cognitive deficits from in-utero exposure compared with sham exposure.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "Whole-body average SAR values were measured in models (not directly in animals)",
    "Exposure described as approximating highest legal exposure from base antennas; generalizability to other exposure scenarios not addressed in abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "prenatal exposure",
    "900 MHz",
    "GSM",
    "pulse modulated",
    "217 Hz",
    "base antennas",
    "SAR",
    "Wistar rats",
    "operant behavior",
    "Skinner box",
    "learning",
    "cognition",
    "inter-response intervals"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "who-icnirp",
      "weight": 0.35,
      "reason": "Exposure described relative to legal public exposure limits for GSM base antennas."
    }
  ]
}

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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: Not supplied
PubMed: 11102946

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