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Cognitive Impairment and Neurogenotoxic Effects in Rats Exposed to Low-Intensity Microwave Radiation

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Deshmukh PS, Nasare N, Megha K, Banerjee BD, Ahmed RS, Singh D, Abegaonkar MP, Tripathi AK, Mediratta PK · 2015

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Chronic exposure to cell phone frequencies caused cognitive impairment and DNA damage at levels 1,000 times below current safety limits.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed rats to low-level microwave radiation at cell phone frequencies (900-2450 MHz) for 6 months and found significant brain damage. The exposed animals showed impaired learning and memory, elevated stress proteins, and DNA damage in brain tissue. These effects occurred at radiation levels thousands of times lower than current safety limits, suggesting chronic exposure to common wireless devices may harm cognitive function.

Why This Matters

This study delivers a sobering message about the cumulative effects of wireless radiation on brain health. The researchers used extremely low exposure levels - roughly 1,000 times below current safety limits - yet still documented clear cognitive impairment and cellular damage after 6 months of exposure. What makes this particularly concerning is that these frequencies (900-2450 MHz) are identical to those used by cell phones, WiFi routers, and other wireless devices we encounter daily. The combination of cognitive decline, DNA damage, and elevated heat shock proteins suggests multiple pathways of harm are occurring simultaneously. While industry advocates often dismiss animal studies, the biological mechanisms demonstrated here - including direct DNA damage - provide crucial insights into how chronic wireless exposure may be affecting human brains, especially in children whose developing nervous systems are more vulnerable to electromagnetic interference.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.0005953 ,0.0005835 , 0.0006672 W/kg
Source/Device
900, 1800 or 2450 MHz
Exposure Duration
2 h/day, 5 days/week for 180 days

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextA logarithmic scale showing exposure levels relative to Building Biology concern thresholds and regulatory limits.Study Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.0005953 ,0.0005835 , 0.0006672 W/kgExtreme Concern0.1 W/kgFCC Limit1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the No Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 2,742x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of chronic low-intensity microwave exposure on cognitive function, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and DNA damage in rat brain.

Experiments were performed on male Fischer rats exposed to MWR for 180 days at 3 different frequenci...

The results showed declined cognitive function, elevated HSP70 level, and DNA damage in the brain of...

The results indicated that, chronic low-intensity microwave exposure in the frequency range of 900 to 2450 MHz may cause hazardous effects on the brain

Cite This Study
Deshmukh PS, Nasare N, Megha K, Banerjee BD, Ahmed RS, Singh D, Abegaonkar MP, Tripathi AK, Mediratta PK (2015). Cognitive Impairment and Neurogenotoxic Effects in Rats Exposed to Low-Intensity Microwave Radiation Int J Toxicol. 2015 Mar 5. pii: 1091581815574348.
Show BibTeX
@article{ps_2015_cognitive_impairment_and_neurogenotoxic_93,
  author = {Deshmukh PS and Nasare N and Megha K and Banerjee BD and Ahmed RS and Singh D and Abegaonkar MP and Tripathi AK and Mediratta PK},
  title = {Cognitive Impairment and Neurogenotoxic Effects in Rats Exposed to Low-Intensity Microwave Radiation},
  year = {2015},
  doi = {10.1177/1091581815574348},
  url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1091581815574348},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers exposed rats to low-level microwave radiation at cell phone frequencies (900-2450 MHz) for 6 months and found significant brain damage. The exposed animals showed impaired learning and memory, elevated stress proteins, and DNA damage in brain tissue. These effects occurred at radiation levels thousands of times lower than current safety limits, suggesting chronic exposure to common wireless devices may harm cognitive function.