Effects of GSM modulated radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation on permeability of blood–brain barrier in male & female rats
Sırav B, Seyhan N · 2016
View Original AbstractTwenty minutes of 900 MHz or 1800 MHz radio-frequency exposure increased blood-brain barrier permeability in male rats, while only 900 MHz had that effect in females.
Plain English Summary
Researchers used young adult male and female Wistar albino rats to investigate whether pulse modulated 900 MHz and 1800 MHz radio-frequency radiation affects the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Permeability was measured by quantifying Evans blue dye that passed into the brain after intravenous injection. In both male radio-frequency radiation exposed groups, blood-brain barrier permeability was found to be increased compared with controls, with 1800 MHz found more effective in males. For female rats, 900 MHz exposure was associated with increased permeability, but no statistical difference was found between the 1800 MHz exposed and control groups.
Why This Matters
The study used Evans blue dye as a tracer: the dye was injected into the bloodstream and its presence in brain tissue indicated that the blood-brain barrier had allowed it to pass through. In male rats, Evans blue content in the whole brain was 0.08 ± 0.01 mg% in the control group, 0.13 ± 0.03 mg% in 900 MHz exposed animals, and 0.26 ± 0.05 mg% in 1800 MHz exposed animals. In female rats, dye contents in the whole brain were 0.14 ± 0.01 mg% in the control, 0.24 ± 0.03 mg% in 900 MHz exposed, and 0.14 ± 0.02 mg% in 1800 MHz exposed animals. The researchers suggested that the differing female result may be due to physiological differences between female and male animals. The researchers noted that the exposures were at non-thermal levels and called for more studies to demonstrate the mechanisms involved.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 0.02 W/kg
- Electric Field
- 4.96 and 4.7 V/m
- Source/Device
- 900 MHz and 1800 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- 20 min
Exposure Context
This study used 4.96 and 4.7 V/m for electric fields:
- 15.7x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.3 V/m
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.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
This study was designed to investigate the possible effects of pulse modulated 900 MHz and 1800 MHz radio-frequency radiation on the permeability of blood–brain barrier of rats.
Study was performed with 6 groups of young adult male and female wistar albino rats. The permeabilit...
In both male radio-frequency radiation exposed groups, the permeability of blood–brain barrier found...
The results of this study suggest that mobile phone radation could lead to increase the permeability of blood-brain barrier under non-thermal exposure levels. More studies are needed to demonstrate the mechanisms of that breakdown.
Show BibTeX
@article{b_2016_effects_of_gsm_modulated_186,
author = {Sırav B and Seyhan N},
title = {Effects of GSM modulated radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation on permeability of blood–brain barrier in male & female rats},
year = {2016},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891061815001064},
}