Effects of mobile phone radiation (900 MHz radiofrequency) on structure and functions of rat brain.
Saikhedkar N, Bhatnagar M, Jain A, Sukhwal P, Sharma C, Jaiswal N. · 2014
View Original AbstractMobile phone radiation caused brain damage and memory problems in rats after just 15 days of heavy exposure.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed young rats to 900 MHz mobile phone radiation for 4 hours daily over 15 days and found significant brain damage in memory centers like the hippocampus. The exposed rats showed increased anxiety, poor learning ability, and cellular damage from oxidative stress (harmful molecules that damage cells). This suggests that prolonged mobile phone use may harm brain function and memory formation.
Why This Matters
This study adds to mounting evidence that radiofrequency radiation from mobile phones can cause measurable brain damage, particularly in developing nervous systems. The 900 MHz frequency tested here is commonly used by GSM cell phones, and the 4-hour daily exposure reflects heavy phone use patterns among teenagers and young adults. What makes this research particularly concerning is the comprehensive approach - the researchers didn't just look at one effect, but documented behavioral changes, cellular damage, and the underlying biochemical mechanisms all pointing in the same direction. The finding that antioxidant systems were overwhelmed suggests the brain's natural defenses were insufficient to protect against this level of RF exposure. While we can't directly extrapolate from rats to humans, the hippocampus functions similarly across mammalian species, and the oxidative stress pathway identified here operates the same way in human brains.
Exposure Information
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 indicate extensive neurodegeneration in selective areas of CA1, CA3, DG, and the cerebral cortex. This extensive neuronal damage results in alterations in behavior related to memory and learning.
Show BibTeX
@article{n_2014_effects_of_mobile_phone_1701,
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},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24861496/},
}