Qualitative enzyme histochemistry and microanalysis reveals changes in ultrastructural distribution of calcium and calcium-activated ATPases after microwave irradiation of the medial habenula.
Kittel A, Siklos L, Thuroczy G, Somosy Z · 1996
View Original AbstractMicrowave exposure disrupted calcium regulation in mouse brain cells for at least 24 hours, showing lasting neurological effects.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed mice to 16-Hz modulated microwaves and examined calcium distribution in brain cells using electron microscopy. They found that microwave exposure disrupted normal calcium storage in nerve terminals, causing calcium to relocate from inside synaptic vesicles (where it belongs) to spaces between neurons and cell surfaces. This disruption of calcium homeostasis - the brain's careful management of calcium levels - persisted for at least 24 hours after exposure.
Why This Matters
This study provides direct visual evidence of how microwave radiation disrupts one of the brain's most fundamental processes: calcium regulation. Calcium acts as a critical messenger in neurons, controlling everything from neurotransmitter release to cell survival. When this system goes awry, the consequences can be far-reaching. The researchers used 16-Hz modulated microwaves, which fall within the extremely low frequency range that pulses through many wireless devices. What makes this research particularly compelling is the persistence of the effect - the calcium disruption didn't resolve quickly but remained altered for the entire 24-hour observation period. This suggests that even brief EMF exposures may trigger lasting changes in brain cell function, raising important questions about cumulative effects from our daily wireless device use.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 16-Hz Duration: 1 hr, 24 hrs.
Study Details
The aim of this study is to investigate Qualitative enzyme histochemistry and microanalysis reveals changes in ultrastructural distribution of calcium and calcium-activated ATPases after microwave irradiation of the medial habenula.
The localization of calcium and calcium-activated ATPases was investigated electron microscopically ...
In non-irradiated animals calcium-containing precipitates were seen in different subcellular compart...
Thus, microwave irradiation can influence neuronal calcium homeostasis by inducing Ca2+ redistribution across the plasma membrane and by modifying Ca(2+)-ATPase activity. However, no direct correlation between these effects could be demonstrated by the present study.
Show BibTeX
@article{a_1996_qualitative_enzyme_histochemistry_and_2290,
author = {Kittel A and Siklos L and Thuroczy G and Somosy Z},
title = {Qualitative enzyme histochemistry and microanalysis reveals changes in ultrastructural distribution of calcium and calcium-activated ATPases after microwave irradiation of the medial habenula.},
year = {1996},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8891068/},
}