RF Safe

The influence of microwave radiation from cellular phone on fetal rat brain.

Electromagnetic biology and medicine · 2012 · Harm · Low evidence

← Research stream
HarmLow evidencePaper 6528

Compared with controls, oxidative stress markers differed in the 30-min and 60-min exposure groups: SOD and GSH-Px decreased and MDA increased (P<0.05). Noradrenaline and dopamine differed in the 10-min and 60-min groups, with increases in the 10-min group an…

Study snapshot

PublicationElectromagnetic biology and medicine · 2012
Study typeanimal
Reported directionHarm
Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

The increasing use of cellular phones in our society has brought focus on the potential detrimental effects to human health by microwave radiation. The aim of our study was to evaluate the intensity of oxidative stress and the level of neurotransmitters in the brains of fetal rats chronically exposed to cellular phones. The experiment was performed on pregnant rats exposed to different intensities of microwave radiation from cellular phones. Thirty-two pregnant rats were randomly divided into four groups: CG, GL, GM, and GH. CG accepted no microwave radiation, GL group radiated 10 min each time, GM group radiated 30 min, and GH group radiated 60 min. The 3 experimental groups were radiated 3 times a day from the first pregnant day for consecutively 20 days, and on the 21st day, the fetal rats were taken and then the contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), malondialdehyde (MDA), noradrenaline (NE), dopamine (DA), and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HT) in the brain were assayed. Compared with CG, there were significant differences (P<0.05) found in the contents of SOD, GSH-Px, and MDA in GM and GH; the contents of SOD and GSH-Px decreased and the content of MDA increased. The significant content differences of NE and DA were found in fetal rat brains in GL and GH groups, with the GL group increased and the GH group decreased. Through this study, we concluded that receiving a certain period of microwave radiation from cellular phones during pregnancy has certain harm on fetal rat brains.

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 directionharm
PopulationPregnant rats and fetal rat brains (assessed on gestational day 21)
Sample size32
Exposuremicrowave · 10, 30, or 60 min per exposure; 3 times/day for 20 consecutive days (from first day of pregnancy)
Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Compared with controls, oxidative stress markers differed in the 30-min and 60-min exposure groups: SOD and GSH-Px decreased and MDA increased (P<0.05). Noradrenaline and dopamine differed in the 10-min and 60-min groups, with increases in the 10-min group and decreases in the 60-min group.

Outcomes measured

  • Oxidative stress markers in fetal rat brain (SOD, GSH-Px, MDA)
  • Neurotransmitters/metabolites in fetal rat brain (noradrenaline, dopamine, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid/5-HT)

Limitations

  • Frequency and SAR/exposure metrics not reported in the abstract
  • Animal study (pregnant rats/fetal brains), limiting direct applicability to humans
  • Exposure characterization described only as duration/intensity groups without quantitative field measurements in the abstract
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "microwave",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "10, 30, or 60 min per exposure; 3 times/day for 20 consecutive days (from first day of pregnancy)"
  },
  "population": "Pregnant rats and fetal rat brains (assessed on gestational day 21)",
  "sample_size": 32,
  "outcomes": [
    "Oxidative stress markers in fetal rat brain (SOD, GSH-Px, MDA)",
    "Neurotransmitters/metabolites in fetal rat brain (noradrenaline, dopamine, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid/5-HT)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Compared with controls, oxidative stress markers differed in the 30-min and 60-min exposure groups: SOD and GSH-Px decreased and MDA increased (P<0.05). Noradrenaline and dopamine differed in the 10-min and 60-min groups, with increases in the 10-min group and decreases in the 60-min group.",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [
    "Frequency and SAR/exposure metrics not reported in the abstract",
    "Animal study (pregnant rats/fetal brains), limiting direct applicability to humans",
    "Exposure characterization described only as duration/intensity groups without quantitative field measurements in the abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "mobile phone",
    "microwave radiation",
    "pregnancy",
    "fetal rat brain",
    "oxidative stress",
    "SOD",
    "GSH-Px",
    "MDA",
    "noradrenaline",
    "dopamine",
    "5-HT"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "mobile-phones-rf",
      "weight": 0.9,
      "reason": "Exposure source is cellular phones; microwave radiation."
    }
  ]
}
AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.

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: 10.3109/15368378.2011.624652
PubMed: 22268709

Read the original paper →

Related papers

← Back to the Research Library