Effects of Acute Exposure to 3500 MHz (5G) Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation on Anxiety- Like Behavior and the Auditory Cortex in Guinea Pigs
Yang H, Zhang Y, Wu X, Gan P, Luo X, Zhong S, Zuo W · 2022
Guinea pigs exposed to 3500 MHz RF-EMR at SARs of 0, 2, 4, or 10 W/kg for 72 hours showed increased oxidative stress, ultrastructural damage, and apoptosis in the auditory cortex, but no change in hearing thresholds or anxiety-like behavior.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed forty male guinea pigs to 3500 MHz RF-EMR at SARs of 0, 2, 4, or 10 W/kg for 72 hours. They measured malondialdehyde levels, antioxidant enzyme activities, anxiety-like behavior, hearing thresholds, cell ultrastructure, and apoptosis in the auditory cortex. Exposure increased MDA levels and decreased catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities in the auditory cortex. Ultrastructural changes included swollen mitochondria and layered myelin sheaths, and apoptosis markers such as cytochrome-c relocalization and caspase activation were observed. Hearing thresholds and basic behavior indexes did not change significantly.
Why This Matters
The authors concluded that oxidative stress is a key mechanism by which RF-EMR causes ultrastructural damage and apoptosis in the auditory cortex via a mitochondria-dependent pathway. They also reported that oxidative stress, apoptosis induction, and ultrastructural damage increased in a SAR-dependent manner. The study found no evidence that RF-EMR raises hearing thresholds or induces anxiety.
Show BibTeX
@article{yang_h_zhang_y_wu_x_gan_p_luo_x_zhong_s_zuo_w_ce2653,
author = {Yang H and Zhang Y and Wu X and Gan P and Luo X and Zhong S and Zuo W},
title = {Effects of Acute Exposure to 3500 MHz (5G) Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation on Anxiety- Like Behavior and the Auditory Cortex in Guinea Pigs},
year = {2022},
}