The effect of mobile phone on the number of Purkinje cells: A stereological study.
Rağbetlı MC, Aydinlioğlu A, Koyun N, Rağbetlı C, Bektas S, Ozdemır S · 2010
View Original AbstractPrenatal mobile phone radiation exposure at 0.95 W/kg SAR significantly reduced critical brain cells controlling movement and balance.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed pregnant mice to mobile phone radiation at levels similar to what humans experience (0.95 W/kg SAR) and found a significant decrease in Purkinje cells in the developing cerebellum of offspring. Purkinje cells are critical neurons that control movement, balance, and coordination. This study suggests that prenatal exposure to mobile phone radiation may affect brain development in areas responsible for motor function.
Why This Matters
This research adds to mounting evidence that EMF exposure during critical developmental windows can alter brain structure. The 0.95 W/kg SAR level used in this study falls within the range of typical mobile phone emissions, making these findings directly relevant to human exposure scenarios. What makes this study particularly concerning is that it examined prenatal exposure, when the developing brain is most vulnerable to environmental influences. The cerebellum plays crucial roles in motor control, balance, and increasingly recognized cognitive functions. The fact that researchers found measurable changes in Purkinje cell numbers at realistic exposure levels suggests we may be underestimating the developmental risks of EMF exposure. While the researchers appropriately call for more studies, the precautionary principle suggests pregnant women should minimize unnecessary EMF exposure, especially from devices held close to the body.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 0.95 W/kg
- Source/Device
- 890-915 MHz
Exposure Context
This study used 0.95 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 2.4x 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 World Health Organisation proposed an investigation concerning the exposure of animals to radiofrequency fields because of the possible risk factor for health. At power frequencies there is evidence to associate both childhood leukaemia and brain tumours with magnetic field exposures. There is also evidence of the effect of mobile phone exposure on both cognitive functions and the cerebellum. Purkinje cells of the cerebellum are also sensitive to high dose microwave exposure in rats. The present study investigated the effect of exposure to mobile phone on the number of Purkinje and granule neurons in the developing cerebellum.
Male and female Swiss albino mice were housed as control and mobile phone-exposed groups. Pregnant a...
A significant decrease in the number of Purkinje cells and a tendency for granule cells to increase ...
Further studies in this area are needed due to the popular use of mobile telephones and relatively high exposure on developing brain.
Show BibTeX
@article{mc_2010_the_effect_of_mobile_1287,
author = {Rağbetlı MC and Aydinlioğlu A and Koyun N and Rağbetlı C and Bektas S and Ozdemır S},
title = {The effect of mobile phone on the number of Purkinje cells: A stereological study.},
year = {2010},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20545571/},
}