Immunohistochemical localization of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in the superior olivary complex of mice after radiofrequency exposure
Maskey D, Kim MJ · 2014
View Original AbstractCell phone-level RF radiation significantly reduced brain proteins essential for neuron survival after 3 months of exposure.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed mice to cell phone-level radiofrequency radiation for 3 months and found significant reductions in brain proteins essential for neuron survival in auditory processing regions. This suggests chronic RF exposure at typical phone absorption rates may damage neurons responsible for hearing.
Why This Matters
This study adds to growing evidence that radiofrequency radiation affects brain neurochemistry, specifically targeting proteins essential for neuron survival and function. The 1.6 W/kg exposure level matches the SAR limit for cell phones in many countries, making these findings directly relevant to everyday device use. What makes this research particularly concerning is the focus on neurotrophic factors, which are like fertilizer for brain cells. When these protective proteins decline, neurons become more vulnerable to damage and death. The superior olivary complex processes critical auditory information, so disruption here could potentially affect hearing and sound localization. The science demonstrates that even at regulatory-approved levels, chronic RF exposure can alter the brain's protective mechanisms, challenging assumptions about current safety standards.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 1.6 or 0 W/kg
- Source/Device
- 835 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- continuous for 8 h/day for 3 months
Exposure Context
This study used 1.6 or 0 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 4x 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
The present study applied radiofrequency at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1.6 W/kg (E1.6) or 0 W/kg group to determine the distribution of BDNF and GDNF in the nuclei of superior olivary complex (SOC).
In the E1.6 group, significant decrements of BDNF immunoreactivity (IR) were noted in the lateral su...
Show BibTeX
@article{d_2014_immunohistochemical_localization_of_brainderived_140,
author = {Maskey D and Kim MJ},
title = {Immunohistochemical localization of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in the superior olivary complex of mice after radiofrequency exposure},
year = {2014},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304394014001086},
}