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Note: This study found no significant biological effects under its experimental conditions. We include all studies for scientific completeness.

Brain & Nervous System

Local exposure of 849 MHz and 1763 MHz radiofrequency radiation to mouse heads does not induce cell death or cell proliferation in brain

No Effects Found

Kim TH, Huang TQ, Jang JJ, Kim MH, Kim HJ, Lee JS, Pack JK, Seo JS, Park WY · 2008

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This study found no brain cell damage from chronic cell phone radiation exposure at levels nearly four times higher than regulatory limits.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed mice to cell phone radiation at 849 MHz and 1763 MHz frequencies for up to 12 months, delivering radiation directly to their heads at levels much higher than typical phone use. They found no evidence of brain cell death, abnormal cell growth, or other cellular changes in the exposed animals compared to unexposed controls.

Why This Matters

This study provides important data on chronic radiofrequency exposure effects in brain tissue, using exposure levels of 7.8 W/kg that far exceed typical cell phone SAR limits of 1.6-2.0 W/kg. The 12-month duration represents substantial chronic exposure in mouse lifespans. However, this negative finding should be viewed within the broader research landscape where numerous studies have documented cellular effects from RF radiation, including oxidative stress and DNA damage. The reality is that animal studies show mixed results, and the absence of gross cellular changes doesn't necessarily rule out more subtle biological effects that weren't measured in this study, such as blood-brain barrier permeability or neurochemical alterations that other research has identified.

Exposure Details

SAR
7.8 W/kg
Source/Device
849 MHz and 1763 MHz
Exposure Duration
repeated daily exposure, 1 h/day, 5 days/week, for 6 or 12 months

Exposure Context

This study used 7.8 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):

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 Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 7.8 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)This level is 5 times the FCC limit
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 849 MHz - 1.76 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 849 MHz - 1.76 GHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

To study the effect of local exposure of mobile phone frequency irradiation to the mouse brain for 12 months

We established a carousel-type exposure chamber for 849 MHz or 1763 MHz of mobile phone RF radiation...

The brain tissues were obtained from 3 groups at 6 months and 12 months to examine the differences i...

From these data, we conclude that the chronic exposure to 849 MHz and 1763 MHz RF radiation at a 7.8 W/kg specific absorption rate (SAR) could not induce cellular alterations such as proliferation, death, and reactive gliosis.

Cite This Study
Kim TH, Huang TQ, Jang JJ, Kim MH, Kim HJ, Lee JS, Pack JK, Seo JS, Park WY (2008). Local exposure of 849 MHz and 1763 MHz radiofrequency radiation to mouse heads does not induce cell death or cell proliferation in brain Exp Mol Med. 40(3):294-303, 2008.
Show BibTeX
@article{th_2008_local_exposure_of_849_2770,
  author = {Kim TH and Huang TQ and Jang JJ and Kim MH and Kim HJ and Lee JS and Pack JK and Seo JS and Park WY},
  title = {Local exposure of 849 MHz and 1763 MHz radiofrequency radiation to mouse heads does not induce cell death or cell proliferation in brain},
  year = {2008},
  
  url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/emm200834},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

No, a 12-month study exposing mice to 849 MHz radiation found no evidence of brain cell death. Researchers used TUNEL assays to detect cell death in brain tissues but found no differences between exposed and control groups, even at high SAR levels of 7.8 W/kg.
No, chronic exposure to 1763 MHz radiation for up to 12 months did not induce abnormal cell proliferation in mouse brains. The study found no histological changes or cellular alterations in brain tissues compared to unexposed controls, suggesting no cancer-promoting effects.
No, exposure at 7.8 W/kg SAR caused no damage to hippocampus neurons in mice. Researchers found no changes in NeuN expression (a neuron marker) or GFAP distribution (indicating brain inflammation) in the hippocampus after 6-12 months of exposure.
No, dual frequency exposure to 849 MHz and 1763 MHz radiation did not cause reactive gliosis in mouse brains. The study specifically examined GFAP expression patterns in brain tissues and found no signs of glial cell activation or brain inflammation responses.
No, chronic radiofrequency exposure had no effect on cerebellum brain tissue in this mouse study. Researchers examined both NeuN and GFAP markers in the cerebellum after 6-12 months of exposure but found no cellular changes or tissue damage.