Long term impairment of cognitive functions and alterations of NMDAR subunits after continuous microwave exposure
Wang H, Tan S, Xu X, Zhao L, Zhang J, Yao B, Gao Y, Zhou H, Peng R. · 2017
View Original AbstractMicrowave radiation caused lasting memory and learning problems in rats at power levels similar to close wireless device exposure.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to microwave radiation at 2.856 GHz for six minutes daily over six weeks. Higher exposure levels caused lasting learning and memory problems, abnormal brain waves, and physical brain damage that persisted for months after exposure ended.
Why This Matters
This research provides compelling evidence that microwave radiation exposure can cause lasting cognitive damage, with effects persisting up to a year after exposure ended. The power densities used (2.5-10 mW/cm²) are within ranges that people can encounter from wireless devices in close proximity, making these findings directly relevant to everyday EMF exposure scenarios. What makes this study particularly significant is its demonstration of dose-dependent effects and the identification of specific molecular mechanisms (NMDAR receptor changes) underlying the cognitive impairment. The reality is that this adds to a growing body of evidence showing microwave radiation can fundamentally alter brain structure and function, contradicting industry claims that non-thermal EMF exposure is harmless.
Exposure Details
- Power Density
- 0, 2.5, 5 and 10 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 2.856 GHz
- Exposure Duration
- 6 min/day, 5 days/week and up to 6 weeks
Exposure Context
This study used 0, 2.5, 5 and 10 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 250Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 4.2Mx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
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 long term effects of continuous microwave exposure cannot be ignored for the simulation of the real environment and increasing concerns about the negative cognitive effects of microwave exposure.
In this study, 220 male Wistar rats were exposed by a 2.856 GHz radiation source with the average po...
Results found that the rats in the 10 mW/cm2 group showed the decline of spatial learning and memory...
Our findings suggested that the continuous microwave exposure could cause the dose-dependent long term impairment of spatial learning and memory, the abnormalities of EEG and the hippocampal structure injuries. The decrease of NMDAR key subunits and phosphorylation of NR 2B might contribute to the cognitive impairment.
Show BibTeX
@article{h_2017_long_term_impairment_of_199,
author = {Wang H and Tan S and Xu X and Zhao L and Zhang J and Yao B and Gao Y and Zhou H and Peng R.},
title = {Long term impairment of cognitive functions and alterations of NMDAR subunits after continuous microwave exposure},
year = {2017},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938417302706},
}