[Effect of electromagnetic radiation on discharge activity of neurons in the hippocampus CA1 in rats].
Tong J, Chen S, Liu XM, Hao DM. · 2013
View Original AbstractCell phone frequency radiation disrupted memory-critical brain cell communication in rats, with longer exposures causing more severe neural dysfunction.
Plain English Summary
Chinese researchers exposed rats to 900 MHz cell phone radiation and measured brain activity in the hippocampus, which controls learning and memory. The radiation disrupted normal neuron firing patterns and increased abnormal brain cell activity, potentially impairing cognitive function.
Why This Matters
This study adds important evidence to the growing body of research showing that radiofrequency radiation can directly alter brain function at the cellular level. The 900 MHz frequency and 10 W/m² power density used here are directly relevant to cell phone exposure, making these findings particularly concerning for daily device users. What makes this research especially significant is that it demonstrates measurable changes in the very neural processes that underlie learning and memory. The hippocampus isn't just any brain region - it's the command center for forming new memories and spatial navigation. When EMF exposure disrupts the coordinated electrical activity between neurons in this critical area, it suggests a biological mechanism for the cognitive effects reported in human studies. The dose-response relationship the researchers observed, where longer exposures produced more pronounced effects, strengthens the case for causation rather than coincidence.
Exposure Details
- Power Density
- 1 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 900 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60
Exposure Context
This study used 1 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 100Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 1.7Mx 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
In order to explore effect of electromagnetic radiation on learning and memory ability of hippocampus neuron in rats, the changes in discharge patterns and overall electrical activity of hippocampus neuron after electromagnetic radiation were observed.
Rat neurons discharge was recorded with glass electrode extracellular recording technology and a pol...
(1) Electromagnetic radiation had an inhibitory role on discharge frequency of the hippocampus CA1 r...
Electromagnetic radiation may cause structure and function changes of transfer synaptic in global, make hippocampal CA1 area neurons change in the overall discharge characteristic and discharge patterns, thus lead to decrease in the ability of learning and memory.
Show BibTeX
@article{j_2013_effect_of_electromagnetic_radiation_1375,
author = {Tong J and Chen S and Liu XM and Hao DM.},
title = {[Effect of electromagnetic radiation on discharge activity of neurons in the hippocampus CA1 in rats].},
year = {2013},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24386818/},
}