Rhesus monkey behavior during exposure to high-peak-power 5.62-GHz microwave pulses.
D'Andrea JA, Thomas A, Hatcher DJ · 1994
View Original AbstractHigh-power microwave exposure at 4-6 W/kg immediately impaired cognitive performance in monkeys, suggesting real-time neurological effects above current safety thresholds.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rhesus monkeys to high-power 5.62 GHz microwave pulses while the animals performed cognitive tasks for food rewards. At exposure levels of 4 and 6 watts per kilogram (W/kg), the monkeys showed significant impairments in their ability to respond correctly, with slower reaction times and fewer earned food rewards. This demonstrates that microwave radiation at these levels can disrupt cognitive performance and behavioral responses in real-time.
Why This Matters
This study provides compelling evidence that microwave radiation can impair cognitive function at specific absorption rates that exceed current safety guidelines but remain within ranges used by some military and industrial applications. The 4-6 W/kg exposure levels that caused behavioral disruption are significantly higher than typical consumer device exposures, which generally produce SAR values under 2 W/kg. However, the immediate nature of these cognitive effects is particularly noteworthy because it demonstrates that EMF exposure can cause measurable neurological impacts during exposure, not just after prolonged periods. The research adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that current safety standards may not adequately protect against subtle but meaningful effects on brain function and behavior.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 2, 4, or 6 W/kg
- Power Density
- 56000, 128000, 277000, 518000, 1270000, 2520000 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 5.62 GHz
- Exposure Duration
- 20 minutes
Exposure Context
This study used 56000, 128000, 277000, 518000, 1270000, 2520000 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 5,600,000Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 93,333.3Mx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
This study used 2, 4, or 6 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 5x 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 investigated Rhesus monkey behavior during exposure to high-peak-power 5.62-GHz microwave pulses.
Four male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were trained on an operant task for food pellet reward to ...
Compared to sham exposures, significant alterations of lever responding, reaction time, and earned f...
Show BibTeX
@article{ja_1994_rhesus_monkey_behavior_during_920,
author = {D'Andrea JA and Thomas A and Hatcher DJ},
title = {Rhesus monkey behavior during exposure to high-peak-power 5.62-GHz microwave pulses.},
year = {1994},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8024607/},
}