Naltrexone blocks RFR-induced DNA double strand breaks in rat brain cells.
Lai, H, Carino, MA, Singh, NP · 1997
View Original AbstractMicrowave radiation at cell phone levels triggers brain opioid release that contributes to DNA damage in brain cells.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rats to microwave radiation at 2450 MHz (similar to WiFi frequencies) for 2 hours and found significant DNA damage in brain cells. When they gave the rats naltrexone, a drug that blocks the body's natural opioids, the DNA damage was partially prevented. This suggests that microwave radiation triggers the release of natural opioids in the brain, which then contributes to genetic damage.
Why This Matters
This 1997 study reveals a concerning biological pathway by which microwave radiation damages DNA in brain tissue. The researchers used 2450 MHz radiation at 1.2 W/kg SAR, which is within the range of modern wireless devices like WiFi routers and cell phones. What makes this study particularly significant is that it identifies a specific biological mechanism - the involvement of endogenous opioids - in radiation-induced genetic damage. The science demonstrates that EMF exposure doesn't just randomly damage cells, but triggers complex biological cascades that can harm our DNA. This mechanistic understanding strengthens the case that EMF effects are real biological phenomena, not just statistical anomalies. While this was conducted on rats, the basic cellular processes involved are similar across mammals, making these findings relevant to human health concerns.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 1.2 W/kg
- Power Density
- 2 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 2450 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- 2 h
Exposure Context
This study used 2 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 200Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 3.3Mx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
This study used 1.2 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 3x 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 experiment was carried out to investigate whether endogenous opioids are also involved in RFR-induced DNA strand breaks.
Rats were treated with the opioid antagonist naltrexone (1 mg/kg, IP) immediately before and after e...
Results showed that the RFR exposure significantly increased DNA double strand breaks in brain cells...
Thus, these data indicate that endogenous opioids play a mediating role in RFR-induced DNA strand breaks in brain cells of the rat.
Show BibTeX
@article{lai_1997_naltrexone_blocks_rfrinduced_dna_1132,
author = {Lai and H and Carino and MA and Singh and NP},
title = {Naltrexone blocks RFR-induced DNA double strand breaks in rat brain cells.},
year = {1997},
url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220292445_Naltrexone_blocks_RFR-induced_DNA_double_strand_breaks_in_rat_brain_cells},
}