Microwave irradiation of rats at 2.45 GHz activates pinocytotic-like uptake of tracer by capillary endothelial cells of cerebral cortex.
Neubauer C, Phelan AM, Kues H, Lange DG · 1990
View Original AbstractMicrowave radiation at 2.45 GHz compromises the blood-brain barrier at power levels comparable to everyday wireless device exposure.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to 2.45 GHz microwave radiation (WiFi frequency) at low power levels and found it increased blood-brain barrier permeability after just 30-120 minutes. This protective barrier normally prevents harmful substances from entering brain tissue, suggesting microwave exposure could compromise brain protection.
Why This Matters
This study reveals a concerning mechanism by which microwave radiation affects brain physiology at relatively low exposure levels. The blood-brain barrier serves as a critical defense system, and any compromise of its integrity could have serious neurological implications. What makes this research particularly relevant is that the 2.45 GHz frequency tested is identical to that used in microwave ovens, WiFi routers, and many wireless devices. The power densities that caused effects (5-10 mW/cm²) are within range of what people experience from wireless technology in daily life. The researchers' use of colchicine to block the effect provides strong evidence that the mechanism involves disruption of cellular transport processes. This adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that current safety standards, which focus only on heating effects, may be inadequate to protect against biological impacts of wireless radiation.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 2 W/kg
- Power Density
- 5, 10 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 2.45 GHz
- Exposure Duration
- 30-120 min
Exposure Context
This study used 5, 10 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 500Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 8.3Mx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
This study used 2 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 5x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
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
To investigate whether microwave irradiation of rats at 2.45 GHz activates pinocytotic-like uptake of tracer by capillary endothelial cells of cerebral cortex or not.
Far-field exposures of male albino rats to 2.45-GHz microwaves (10-microseconds pulses, 100 pps) at ...
Show BibTeX
@article{c_1990_microwave_irradiation_of_rats_1224,
author = {Neubauer C and Phelan AM and Kues H and Lange DG},
title = {Microwave irradiation of rats at 2.45 GHz activates pinocytotic-like uptake of tracer by capillary endothelial cells of cerebral cortex.},
year = {1990},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2285411/},
}