ID Number		1437
Study Type		In Vivo
Model		900 MHz (GSM) exposure to newborn rats over the first 8 weeks and analysis of developing nervous system, blood-brain barrier and behavioral effects (relevant to children's use of mobile phones)
Details		Newborn Wistar rats (n = 24 per group) were exposed to 900 MHz (GSM) RF at 0, 0.3, or 3.0 W/kg for 2 hr/day, 5 d/wk for 5 weeks. Exposure was performed in the radial transmission line exposure chamber (used in previous STUK / EU-CEMFEC funded studies). Dosimetry (performed using FDTD modeling) indicated moderate variation of SAR with posture of the animals, 0.07-1.2 and 0.7-12 W/kg in the respective exposure groups). Following the 5 week exposure series, animals were analyzed for behavioral endpoints including an open field test for locomotor and exploratory activity, plusmaze test for anxiety, pre-pulse inhibition of the startle reflex to test general reactivity and attention, and Morris water maze test for spatial learning and memory. The authors did report a statistically significant improvement in water maze performance in both exposure groups vs. controls (shorter escape latency), most pronounced on the first 2 days of the exposure series. Improved memory retention (remembering where the water maze platform was after 5 days) was found in the highest exposure group. There was no pathological or BBB leakage differences between exposed and control rats. The authors did not, however, replicate the findings of Salford et al of degenerating neurons.
Findings		Effects
Status		Completed With Publication
Principal Investigator		University of Kuopio, Finland - timo.kumlin@uku.fi
Funding Agency		Nat'l Res Prog, Finland, TEKES, HERMO
Country		FINLAND
References		Kumlin, T et al. Radiation Research, (2007) 168:471-479
Comments		Highest expsoure up to 12 W/kg, possible thermal effects (stress) that could have influenced learning and memory. Opposite effect from Lai et al series of studies involving exposed rats and water maze.