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Brain & Nervous System

Upregulation of Specific mRNA Levels in Rat Brain After Cell Phone Exposure

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Yan JG, Agresti M, Zhang LL, Yan Y, Matloub HS. · 2008

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Rat brains showed statistically significant increases in injury-associated protein mRNA after cell phone radiation exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed adult Sprague-Dawley rats to cell phones for 6 hours per day for 126 days and measured mRNA levels of several injury-associated proteins in the brain. The proteins evaluated included Calcium ATPase, Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule, Neural Growth Factor, and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor. The results showed statistically significant mRNA up-regulation of these proteins in the brains of exposed rats.

Why This Matters

The study was designed to test whether cell phone irradiation can cause cellular damage to the rat brain leading to increased mRNA transcription of injury-associated proteins. RT-PCR was used to investigate the changes in levels of mRNA synthesis of several injury-associated proteins. The researchers suggested that relative chronic exposure to cell phone microwave radiation may result in cumulative injuries that could eventually lead to clinically significant neurological damage.

Exposure Details

SAR
1.8,0.9,1.18 W/kg
Source/Device
1.9 GHz
Exposure Duration
2 x 3 h/day, for 18 weeks

Exposure Context

This study used 1.8,0.9,1.18 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: 1.8,0.9,1.18 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 2 times higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 1.90 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 1.90 GHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

To check the hypothesis that cell phone irradiation can cause cellular damage to the rat brain leading to increased mRNA transcription of injury-associated proteins.

Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to regular cell phones for 6 h per day for 126 days (18 weeks...

The results showed statistically significant mRNA up-regulation of these proteins in the brains of r...

These results indicate that relative chronic exposure to cell phone microwave radiation may result in cumulative injuries that could eventually lead to clinically significant neurological damage.

Cite This Study
Yan JG, Agresti M, Zhang LL, Yan Y, Matloub HS. (2008). Upregulation of Specific mRNA Levels in Rat Brain After Cell Phone Exposure Electromagn Biol Med. 27(2):147-154, 2008.
Show BibTeX
@article{jg_2008_upregulation_of_specific_mrna_206,
  author = {Yan JG and Agresti M and Zhang LL and Yan Y and Matloub HS.},
  title = {Upregulation of Specific mRNA Levels in Rat Brain After Cell Phone Exposure},
  year = {2008},
  doi = {10.1080/15368370802072208},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15368370802072208},
}
DOI: 10.1080/15368370802072208

Cited By (26 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were the subjects of the study.
The rats were exposed to cell phones for 6 hours per day for 126 days, which is 18 weeks.
Calcium ATPase, Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule, Neural Growth Factor, and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor were evaluated.
The researchers suggested that relative chronic exposure to cell phone microwave radiation may result in cumulative injuries that could eventually lead to clinically significant neurological damage.
The results showed statistically significant mRNA up-regulation of the injury-associated proteins in the brains of exposed rats.