8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Brain & Nervous System

GFAP expression in the rat brain following sub-chronic exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field signal

Bioeffects Seen

Ammari M, Gamez C, Lecomte A, Sakly M, Abdelmelek H, De Seze R · 2010

View Original Abstract
Share:

Cell phone radiation at current safety limits caused brain inflammation in rats that persisted over a week after exposure stopped.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed rats to cell phone-level radiation (900 MHz) for 8 weeks and found increased levels of GFAP, a protein that indicates brain inflammation and damage to protective brain cells called astrocytes. The brain damage occurred at radiation levels similar to what people experience during cell phone use, and persisted for at least 10 days after exposure ended.

Why This Matters

This study provides compelling evidence that cell phone radiation can trigger inflammatory responses in the brain at exposure levels well within current safety limits. The SAR levels used (1.5 and 6 W/kg) bracket the maximum allowed for cell phones in many countries (2 W/kg), meaning this brain inflammation occurred at radiation doses people regularly experience. The persistence of elevated GFAP levels 10 days after exposure ended suggests the brain's protective astrocyte cells suffered lasting damage. What makes this research particularly significant is that GFAP elevation is a recognized biomarker for neurological disorders and brain injury. The science demonstrates that what regulators consider 'safe' exposure levels can trigger measurable brain inflammation in living tissue.

Exposure Details

SAR
1.5 and 6 W/kg
Source/Device
900 MHz EMF signal
Exposure Duration
5 days/week for 8 weeks (45 min/day,SAR=1.5 W/kg or 15 min/day,SAR= 6 W/kg)

Exposure Context

This study used 1.5 and 6 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: 1.5 and 6 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern rangeFCC limit is 1x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 900 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 900 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The rapid development and expansion of mobile communications contributes to the general debate on the effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on the nervous system. This study aims at measuring the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression in 48 rat brains to evaluate reactive astrocytosis, three and 10 days after long-term head-only sub-chronic exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) signal, in male rats.

Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed for 45 min/day at a brain-averaged specific absorption rate (SAR) =...

Compared to the sham-treated rats, those exposed to the sub-chronic GSM (Global System for mobile co...

Our results show that sub-chronic exposures to a 900 MHz EMF signal for two months could adversely affect rat brain (sign of a potential gliosis)

Cite This Study
Ammari M, Gamez C, Lecomte A, Sakly M, Abdelmelek H, De Seze R (2010). GFAP expression in the rat brain following sub-chronic exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field signal Int J Radiat Biol. 86(5):367-375, 2010.
Show BibTeX
@article{m_2010_gfap_expression_in_the_63,
  author = {Ammari M and Gamez C and Lecomte A and Sakly M and Abdelmelek H and De Seze R},
  title = {GFAP expression in the rat brain following sub-chronic exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field signal},
  year = {2010},
  doi = {10.3109/09553000903567946},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09553000903567946},
}
DOI: 10.3109/09553000903567946

Cited By (51 papers)

View all 51 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

GFAP is a protein that indicates brain inflammation and damage to protective brain cells called astrocytes. This 2010 study found that rats exposed to 900 MHz cell phone radiation for 8 weeks showed increased GFAP levels, suggesting brain tissue damage that persisted for at least 10 days after exposure ended.
Yes, according to Ammari and colleagues' research. Rats exposed to 900 MHz radiation for 8 weeks showed brain inflammation markers that remained elevated 10 days after exposure stopped. This suggests that prolonged cell phone use may cause persistent changes in brain tissue structure.
Gliosis refers to brain tissue scarring and inflammation involving glial cells like astrocytes. This 2010 rat study found that 900 MHz radiation exposure caused signs of potential gliosis, indicating that cell phone-level radiation may trigger protective brain responses similar to injury or disease.
Researchers found increased GFAP brain proteins at both 1.5 W/kg and 6 W/kg radiation levels. These exposure levels are similar to what people experience during typical cell phone use, suggesting that everyday mobile phone radiation may affect brain tissue in ways detectable through protein markers.
Yes, the study found increased GFAP levels across different brain areas, not just in one region. This indicates that 8-week exposure to 900 MHz radiation causes widespread brain responses, suggesting that cell phone radiation effects aren't limited to specific brain locations near the ear.