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Effect of Short-term 900 MHz low level electromagnetic radiation exposure on blood serotonin and glutamate levels.

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Eris AH, Kiziltan HS, Meral I, Genc H, Trabzon M, Seyithanoglu H, Yagci B, Uysal O. · 2015

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Just 45 minutes of cell phone-level radiation exposure significantly altered brain chemistry in this study, raising questions about wireless devices' neurological effects.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed rats to cell phone-level radiofrequency radiation (900 MHz) for just 45 minutes and measured changes in brain chemicals. They found that this brief exposure significantly increased blood serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter that affects mood and cognitive function. The researchers note this serotonin increase could potentially impact learning and memory abilities.

Why This Matters

This study adds to the growing body of evidence showing that radiofrequency radiation can affect brain chemistry at exposure levels comparable to cell phone use. The 608 mW/m² exposure used here falls within the range of what you might experience during a phone call held close to your head. What makes this research particularly noteworthy is that measurable neurochemical changes occurred after just 45 minutes of exposure. Serotonin plays crucial roles in mood regulation, sleep, and cognitive function, so alterations in its levels could have meaningful implications for brain health. While this was an animal study with a small sample size, it aligns with other research demonstrating that EMF exposure can influence neurotransmitter systems. The reality is that we're conducting a massive experiment on ourselves and our children with wireless technology, and studies like this suggest our brains are responding to these exposures in ways we're only beginning to understand.

Exposure Details

Electric Field
15.14 V/m
Source/Device
100 kHz FM modulation at 900 MHz
Exposure Duration
45 minutes

Exposure Context

This study used 15.14 V/m for electric fields:

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 100 kHz - 900 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 100 kHz - 900 MHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The aim of this study is to investigate Effect of Short-term 900 MHz low level electromagnetic radiation exposure on blood serotonin and glutamate levels

Ten male Wistar Albino rats were anesthetized 30 min before the LLER exposure, 0.5 ml blood was take...

Plasma 5-HT and glutamate levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) using commercial kits. It...

It was concluded that even a single 45 min of LLER exposure may produce an increase in 5-HT level without changing the blood glutamate level. Increased 5-HT level may lead to a retarded learning and a deficit in spatial memory (Tab. 2, Fig. 2, Ref. 24).

Cite This Study
Eris AH, Kiziltan HS, Meral I, Genc H, Trabzon M, Seyithanoglu H, Yagci B, Uysal O. (2015). Effect of Short-term 900 MHz low level electromagnetic radiation exposure on blood serotonin and glutamate levels. Bratisl Lek Listy. 116(2):101-103, 2015.
Show BibTeX
@article{ah_2015_effect_of_shortterm_900_961,
  author = {Eris AH and Kiziltan HS and Meral I and Genc H and Trabzon M and Seyithanoglu H and Yagci B and Uysal O.},
  title = {Effect of Short-term 900 MHz low level electromagnetic radiation exposure on blood serotonin and glutamate levels.},
  year = {2015},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25665475/},
}
PubMed: 25665475

Cited By (11 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, a 2015 study found that just 45 minutes of 900 MHz radiofrequency radiation significantly increased blood serotonin levels in rats. This brief exposure to cell phone-level radiation produced measurable changes in this important neurotransmitter that affects mood and cognitive function.
Research suggests it might. A study exposing rats to 900 MHz radiation for only 45 minutes found increased serotonin levels, which the researchers noted could potentially lead to impaired learning and deficits in spatial memory formation.
Biological changes can occur very quickly. Researchers found that a single 45-minute exposure to 900 MHz radiofrequency radiation was sufficient to significantly increase blood serotonin levels in rats, demonstrating that even brief EMF exposure can trigger measurable biological responses.
No, a 2015 study found that 45 minutes of 900 MHz radiation exposure did not change glutamate levels in rats. While the same exposure significantly increased serotonin levels, glutamate concentrations remained unchanged, showing selective effects on different neurotransmitters.
Brief 900 MHz exposure specifically increases serotonin levels without affecting glutamate. Researchers found that 45 minutes of cell phone-level radiation significantly elevated blood serotonin in rats, while glutamate levels remained normal, indicating targeted effects on brain chemistry.