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Effects of mobile phone radiation (900 MHz radiofrequency) on structure and functions of rat brain

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Saikhedkar N, Bhatnagar M, Jain A, Sukhwal P, Sharma C, Jaiswal N · 2014

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This study found that cell phone radiation damaged memory centers in young rat brains after just 15 days of exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed young rats to 900 MHz cell phone radiation for 4 hours daily over 15 days to study brain effects. The exposed rats showed increased anxiety, poor learning and memory, damaged brain cells in key memory regions, and signs of cellular stress from harmful molecules called free radicals. This suggests that prolonged cell phone radiation exposure may damage the brain areas responsible for learning and memory.

Why This Matters

This study adds to a growing body of evidence linking radiofrequency radiation to neurological harm, particularly in developing brains. The 900 MHz frequency used here is identical to older GSM cell phone networks, making these findings directly relevant to human exposure. What's particularly concerning is that the rats were only 30 days old when exposure began, equivalent to children or teenagers in human development. The researchers found damage in the hippocampus, the brain's memory center, along with increased oxidative stress - a cellular damage pathway that appears consistently across EMF studies. While we can't directly extrapolate animal studies to humans, the specific brain regions affected and the biochemical pathways involved are remarkably similar between rats and humans, lending credibility to these findings.

Exposure Information

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

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900 MHz Duration: 4 hours per day for 15 days

Study Details

The goals of this study were: (1) to obtain basic information about the effects of long-term use of mobile phones on cytological makeup of the hippocampus in rat brains (2) to evaluate the effects on antioxidant status, and (3) to evaluate the effects on cognitive behavior particularly on learning and memory.

Rats (age 30 days, 120 ± 5 g) were exposed to 900 MHz radio waves by means of a mobile hand set for ...

A significant change in behavior, i.e., more anxiety and poor learning was shown by test animals as ...

Thus our findings indicate extensive neurodegeneration on exposure to radio waves. Increased production of reactive oxygen species due to exhaustion of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and increased lipid peroxidation are indicating extensive neurodegeneration in selective areas of CA1, CA3, DG, and cerebral cortex. This extensive neuronal damage results in alterations in behavior related to memory and learning

Cite This Study
Saikhedkar N, Bhatnagar M, Jain A, Sukhwal P, Sharma C, Jaiswal N (2014). Effects of mobile phone radiation (900 MHz radiofrequency) on structure and functions of rat brain Neurological Research 36(12):1072-1079,2014.
Show BibTeX
@article{n_2014_effects_of_mobile_phone_1529,
  author = {Saikhedkar N and Bhatnagar M and Jain A and Sukhwal P and Sharma C and Jaiswal N},
  title = {Effects of mobile phone radiation (900 MHz radiofrequency) on structure and functions of rat brain},
  year = {2014},
  doi = {10.1179/1743132814Y.0000000392},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/1743132814Y.0000000392},
}
DOI: 10.1179/1743132814Y.0000000392

Cited By (72 papers)

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Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, a 2014 study found that young rats exposed to 900 MHz cell phone radiation for 4 hours daily over 15 days showed significantly increased anxiety compared to control groups. The radiation exposure also impaired their learning abilities and memory formation.
Research shows that 15 days of 900 MHz radiation exposure (4 hours daily) caused neurodegeneration in hippocampal regions CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus in rats. The study found damaged brain cells specifically in areas crucial for memory and learning.
A 15-day study revealed that 900 MHz cell phone radiation significantly altered antioxidant enzyme levels and increased lipid peroxidation in rat brains. This indicates the radiation overwhelmed the brain's natural defense systems against cellular damage from free radicals.
Research identified specific brain damage in the hippocampal subregions (CA1, CA3, dentate gyrus) and cerebral cortex after 4-hour daily 900 MHz exposure. These areas are critical for memory formation, learning, and higher cognitive functions in mammals.
Yes, the study found that 15 days of 900 MHz radiation exposure increased harmful reactive oxygen species production while depleting the brain's antioxidant defenses. This oxidative stress pattern directly contributed to extensive neurodegeneration in memory-related brain regions.