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Structural and kinetic effects of mobile phone microwaves on acetylcholinesterase activity.

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Barteri M, Pala A, Rotella S. · 2005

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Cell phone radiation irreversibly damaged a key brain enzyme responsible for nerve communication, suggesting potential neurological impacts.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Italian researchers exposed acetylcholinesterase, a crucial brain enzyme that helps nerve cells communicate, to radiation from a commercial cell phone. They found that the cell phone radiation irreversibly altered both the structure and activity of this enzyme. This matters because acetylcholinesterase is essential for proper nervous system function, and any disruption could potentially affect brain and nerve activity.

Why This Matters

This study reveals something significant about how cell phone radiation interacts with biological systems at the molecular level. Acetylcholinesterase is not just any enzyme - it's critical for breaking down acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for memory, learning, and muscle control. When this enzyme doesn't function properly, it can lead to serious neurological problems. The fact that everyday cell phone radiation could irreversibly alter this enzyme's structure and function should give us pause. What makes this research particularly compelling is that the researchers used an actual commercial cell phone rather than laboratory equipment, making their findings more relevant to real-world exposure. While the authors appropriately note that we can't directly conclude health hazards from this in vitro study, it adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that wireless radiation affects biological systems in ways we're only beginning to understand.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Study Details

The present study provides evidence that "in vitro" simple exposure of an aqueous solution of electric eel acetylcholinesterase (EeAChE; EC 3.1.1.7.) to cellular phone emission alters its enzymatic activity.

This paper demonstrates, by combining different experimental techniques, that radio frequency (RF) r...

This experimental procedure provided surprising effects collected practically without experimental e...

Cite This Study
Barteri M, Pala A, Rotella S. (2005). Structural and kinetic effects of mobile phone microwaves on acetylcholinesterase activity. Biophys Chem. 113(3):245-253, 2005.
Show BibTeX
@article{m_2005_structural_and_kinetic_effects_1881,
  author = {Barteri M and Pala A and Rotella S.},
  title = {Structural and kinetic effects of mobile phone microwaves on acetylcholinesterase activity.},
  year = {2005},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15620509/},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Italian researchers exposed acetylcholinesterase, a crucial brain enzyme that helps nerve cells communicate, to radiation from a commercial cell phone. They found that the cell phone radiation irreversibly altered both the structure and activity of this enzyme. This matters because acetylcholinesterase is essential for proper nervous system function, and any disruption could potentially affect brain and nerve activity.