Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2012, Vol. 7 ›› Issue (19): 1488-1492.

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916 MHz electromagnetic field exposure affects rat behavior and hippocampal neuronal discharge

Dongmei Hao1, Lei Yang1, Su Chen2, Yonghao Tian2, Shuicai Wu1   

  1. 1 College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
    2 College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074, Hubei Province, China
  • Received:2011-12-24 Revised:2012-05-16 Online:2012-07-05 Published:2012-07-05
  • Contact: Dongmei Hao, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China haodongmei@bjut.edu.cn
  • About author:Dongmei Hao☆, D. Eng., Associate professor, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China

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Abstract:

Wistar rats were exposed to a 916 MHz, 10 W/m2 mobile phone electromagnetic field for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. Average completion times in an eight-arm radial maze were longer in the exposed rats than control rats after 4-5 weeks of exposure. Error rates in the exposed rats were greater than the control rats at 6 weeks. Hippocampal neurons from the exposed rats showed irregular firing patterns during the experiment, and they exhibited decreased spiking activity 6-9 weeks compared with that after 2-5 weeks of exposure. These results indicate that 916 MHz electromagnetic fields influence learning and memory in rats during exposure, but long-term effects are not obvious.

Key words: electromagnetic field, Wistar rats, maze learning, feeding behavior, neurons, neural regeneration