Neuroprotective effects of melatonin and omega-3 on hippocampal cells prenatally exposed to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields.
Erdem Koç G, Kaplan S, Altun G, Gümüş H, Gülsüm Deniz Ö, Aydin I, Emin Onger M, Altunkaynak Z. · 2016
View Original AbstractPrenatal cell phone radiation exposure reduced memory-critical brain cells in rat offspring, but melatonin and omega-3 provided complete protection.
Plain English Summary
Turkish researchers exposed pregnant rats to cell phone radiation (900 MHz) for one hour daily throughout pregnancy, then examined brain development in their male offspring. They found that prenatal radiation exposure significantly reduced the number of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus (a brain region critical for memory and learning). However, when pregnant rats received protective supplements like melatonin or omega-3 fatty acids alongside the radiation exposure, their offspring's brain development remained normal.
Why This Matters
This study adds to mounting evidence that prenatal EMF exposure can disrupt normal brain development, specifically targeting neurons essential for memory formation. The 900 MHz frequency used matches that of many cell phones, making these findings directly relevant to pregnant women who use mobile devices. What makes this research particularly significant is the demonstration that natural compounds like melatonin and omega-3 fatty acids can protect against EMF-induced brain damage. The science demonstrates that the developing brain is especially vulnerable to electromagnetic radiation, with effects that may not become apparent until later in life. While we need more research on chronic exposure effects, this study reinforces the importance of minimizing EMF exposure during pregnancy when possible.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900 MHz Duration: 60 min/day
Study Details
The aim of this study is to investigate Neuroprotective effects of melatonin and omega-3 on hippocampal cells prenatally exposed to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields.
We established seven groups of pregnant rats consisting of three animals each; control (CONT), SHAM,...
The total number of pyramidal cells in the cornu ammonis (CA) in the EMF group was significantly low...
MEL and ω-3 can protect the cell against neuronal damage in the hippocampus induced by 900 MHz EMF. However, further studies are now needed to evaluate the chronic effects of 900 MHz EMF on the brain in the prenatal period.
Show BibTeX
@article{g_2016_neuroprotective_effects_of_melatonin_2060,
author = {Erdem Koç G and Kaplan S and Altun G and Gümüş H and Gülsüm Deniz Ö and Aydin I and Emin Onger M and Altunkaynak Z.},
title = {Neuroprotective effects of melatonin and omega-3 on hippocampal cells prenatally exposed to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields.},
year = {2016},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27442260/},
}