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The effect of pulsed electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone on the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in four different areas of rat brain.

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Aboul Ezz HS, Khadrawy YA, Ahmed NA, Radwan NM, El Bakry MM. · 2013

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Cell phone radiation at typical usage levels disrupted brain chemicals controlling mood and memory in rats after just one month of exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed rats to cell phone radiation (1800 MHz, similar to 2G networks) for up to 4 months and measured key brain chemicals called neurotransmitters that control mood, memory, and learning. The radiation significantly altered levels of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine across four different brain regions. These chemical changes could explain why some people report memory problems, learning difficulties, and increased stress after heavy cell phone use.

Why This Matters

This study adds crucial evidence to our understanding of how cell phone radiation affects brain chemistry at the most fundamental level. The researchers used exposure levels (SAR of 0.843 W/kg) that are well within current safety limits and similar to what your brain experiences during typical cell phone calls. What makes this research particularly significant is that it examined multiple brain regions and tracked changes over extended periods, showing that neurotransmitter disruption persists and even worsens with longer exposure. The fact that these chemical imbalances continued even after a month of no exposure suggests the changes may not be easily reversible. Put simply, this research provides a biological mechanism for the cognitive and mood-related symptoms that many heavy cell phone users report.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.843 W/kg
Power Density
0.02 µW/m²
Source/Device
1800 MHz modulated at 217 Hz
Exposure Duration
1, 2 and 4 months of daily EMR exposure

Exposure Context

This study used 0.02 µW/m² for radio frequency:

This study used 0.843 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):

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 Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.02 µW/m²Extreme Concern - 1,000 uW/m2FCC Limit - 10M uW/m2Effects observed in the No Concern rangeFCC limit is 500,000,000x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 217 Hz - 1.80 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 217 Hz - 1.80 GHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of EMR on the concentrations of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, midbrain and medulla oblongata of adult rats.

Adult rats were exposed daily to EMR (frequency 1800 MHz, specific absorption rate 0.843 W/kg, power...

The exposure to EMR resulted in significant changes in DA, NE and 5-HT in the four selected areas of...

The exposure of adult rats to EMR may cause disturbances in monoamine neurotransmitters and this may underlie many of the adverse effects reported after EMR including memory, learning, and stress.

Cite This Study
Aboul Ezz HS, Khadrawy YA, Ahmed NA, Radwan NM, El Bakry MM. (2013). The effect of pulsed electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone on the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in four different areas of rat brain. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 17(13):1782-1788, 2013.
Show BibTeX
@article{hs_2013_the_effect_of_pulsed_787,
  author = {Aboul Ezz HS and Khadrawy YA and Ahmed NA and Radwan NM and El Bakry MM.},
  title = {The effect of pulsed electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone on the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in four different areas of rat brain.},
  year = {2013},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23852905/},
}
PubMed: 23852905

Cited By (45 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, researchers found that 1800 MHz radiation (similar to 2G networks) significantly altered dopamine levels across four brain regions in rats after up to 4 months of exposure. These dopamine changes could affect mood regulation and reward processing in the brain.
Research shows that cell phone radiation modulated at 217 Hz significantly changed serotonin levels in multiple brain areas after chronic exposure. Since serotonin regulates mood, sleep, and anxiety, these changes may explain some reported psychological effects from heavy phone use.
A 4-month study found that chronic 2G-type radiation (1800 MHz) disrupted the balance of three key neurotransmitters - dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine - across four different brain regions, potentially affecting mood, memory, and stress responses.
This study exposed rats to 1800 MHz radiation for up to 4 months before measuring significant changes in brain neurotransmitter levels. The research suggests chronic exposure over months may be needed to produce measurable neurochemical alterations.
Research indicates that cell phone radiation can disrupt brain chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine that are essential for memory formation and learning. These neurotransmitter changes may explain cognitive difficulties reported by some heavy phone users.