6,486 Studies Reviewed. 85.2% of Original Studies Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Brain & Nervous SystemPart of the Glaser Archive

ALTERATION OF REPEATED ACQUISITION IN RATS BY MICROWAVE RADIATION

Bioeffects Seen

Authors not listed

Share:

Pulsed 2800 MHz microwave radiation at 5 and 10 mW/cm² altered learning performance in rats, while 0.25 to 1.0 mW/cm² generally did not.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed three rats to pulsed 2800 MHz microwave radiation for 30 minutes before testing their ability to learn new sequences of behaviors. At higher power levels (5-10 mW/cm²), the microwaves disrupted the rats' learning performance, causing more errors and slower completion of tasks: in two of four replications at 5 mW/cm² and in all replications at 10 mW/cm². At 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mW/cm² the behavioral measures were generally within the control range.

Why This Matters

This study examined the acute effect of microwave radiation on a repeated acquisition (learning) baseline in three rats. At 5 mW/cm², error responding, rate of sequence completion and the pattern of within-session acquisition were altered in two of four replications, and exposure to 10 mW/cm² increased errors, decreased the rate of sequence completion and altered the pattern of within-session acquisition in all replications.

The animals were restrained in a plastic sleeve harness and exposed to a pulsed 2800 MHz field for 30 minutes, with experimental sessions beginning within 5 minutes of the end of exposure. Sham irradiations and baseline sessions served as the control sessions against which microwave effects were measured.

Cite This Study
Unknown (n.d.). ALTERATION OF REPEATED ACQUISITION IN RATS BY MICROWAVE RADIATION.
Show BibTeX
@article{alteration_of_repeated_acquisition_in_rats_by_microwave_radiation_g5475,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {ALTERATION OF REPEATED ACQUISITION IN RATS BY MICROWAVE RADIATION},
  year = {n.d.},
  
  
}
No DOI on file for this study.

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, rats exposed to pulsed 2800 MHz microwaves for 30 minutes showed altered learning performance when acquiring new behavioral sequences. At 5 mW/cm² two of four replications showed more errors and slower sequence completion, and at 10 mW/cm² all replications did, compared with control sessions.
The rats were exposed to pulsed 2800 MHz microwave radiation for 30 minutes immediately before experimental sessions, which began within 5 minutes of the end of exposure. This acute exposure protocol allowed researchers to measure the immediate effects of microwave radiation on task performance.
Behavioral alterations occurred at 5 mW/cm² (two of four replications) and 10 mW/cm² (all replications). At 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mW/cm² the behavioral measures were generally within the control range.
Rats had to learn different four-step response sequences each session to earn food rewards. Researchers tracked error rates, completion speed, and learning patterns. Incorrect responses triggered three-second timeouts, providing clear metrics for cognitive performance assessment.
Specific absorption rates calculated from core temperature measurements had mean values of 0.72 mW/g at 5 mW/cm² and 1.73 mW/g at 10 mW/cm² incident power density.