Protein Kinase C Activity in developing rat brain cells exposed to 2.45 GHz radiation
Paulraj R, Behari J · 2006
View Original AbstractChronic 2.45 GHz exposure reduced key brain enzymes in developing rats at levels below current cell phone limits.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed developing rat brains to 2.45 GHz radiation (the same frequency as WiFi and microwaves) for 2 hours daily over 35 days. They found significant decreases in protein kinase C activity in the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for learning and memory, plus increased glial cells which can indicate brain inflammation. The study suggests that chronic microwave exposure during brain development may interfere with normal growth and cellular function.
Why This Matters
This research adds to mounting evidence that microwave radiation affects developing brain tissue at exposure levels well below current safety limits. The SAR of 0.11 W/kg used in this study is actually lower than the maximum allowed for cell phones (2.0 W/kg in the US), yet still produced measurable changes in brain biochemistry. Protein kinase C plays essential roles in cell signaling, memory formation, and brain development - disruptions to this enzyme system could have lasting consequences for cognitive function. What makes this study particularly concerning is the focus on developing brains, which are more vulnerable to environmental toxins than adult brains. The researchers' conclusion that chronic exposures may affect brain growth and development deserves serious attention, especially given how ubiquitous 2.45 GHz radiation has become in our daily environment through WiFi routers, wireless devices, and microwave ovens.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 0.11 W/kg
- Power Density
- 0.344 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 2.45 GHz
- Exposure Duration
- 2 h/day for 35 days
Exposure Context
This study used 0.344 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 34.4Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 573.3Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
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
To assess Protein kinase C activity in developing rat brain cells exposed to 2.45 GHz radiation.
There is growing concern by the public regarding the potential human health hazard due to exposure t...
Our study reveals a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease in PKC activity in hippocampus as ...
This present study is indicative of a significant change after exposure to the above-mentioned field intensity. This suggests that chronic exposures may affect brain growth and development.
Show BibTeX
@article{r_2006_protein_kinase_c_activity_1260,
author = {Paulraj R and Behari J},
title = {Protein Kinase C Activity in developing rat brain cells exposed to 2.45 GHz radiation},
year = {2006},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16595335/},
}