Medical/biological study (experimental study)

GSM radiation triggers seizures and increases cerebral c-Fos positivity in rats pretreated with subconvulsive doses of picrotoxin med./bio.

By: Lopez-Martin E, Relova-Quinteiro JL, Gallego-Gomez R, Peleteiro-Fernandez M, Jorge-Barreiro FJ, Ares-Pena FJ

Published in: Neurosci Lett 2006; 398 (1-2): 139-144

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the effects of 2 h mobile phone irradiation (GSM) on rats made seizure-prone by injection of a subconvulsive dose of the GABA antagonist picrotoxin.

Background/further details

The effects were evaluated by observation of whether the rats suffered seizures and post mortem by immunochemical testing of relevant brain areas for c-Fos (a marker of neuronal activation that is produced in these brain areas by seizures).
4 groups of rats were invesigated (each of 7-8 rats): 1) Injection of picrotoxin (2 mg/kg) and exposure to irradiation, 2) injection of picrotoxin, 3) irradiation, 4) exposure to neither irradiation nor picrotoxin.

Endpoint

effects on the neurological system: seizures, brain activation

Exposure

- mobile communications
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 900 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for 2 h	power: 0.225 W SAR: 0.24 W/kg mean (1 g) (whole body) SAR: 1.3 W/kg peak value (1 g) (whole body) SAR: 0.42 W/kg mean (1 g) (brain) SAR: 0.47 W/kg peak value (1 g) (brain)
Exposure 2: 900 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for 2 h Picrotoxin-treated	power: 0.225 W SAR: 0.15 W/kg mean (1 g) (whole body) SAR: 0.85 W/kg peak value (1 g) (whole body) SAR: 0.27 W/kg mean (1 g) (brain) SAR: 0.31 W/kg peak value (1 g) (brain)

General information

Four groups of rats were given the following treatments: injection of picrotoxin, exposure to radiation, picrotoxin and radiation, neither picrotoxin nor radiation.

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	900 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 2 h

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Repetition frequency	217 Hz
Additional info	GSM-modulated

Exposure setup

Exposure source	antenna, signal generator
Chamber	Rats were individually immobilised in a tube and placed in a irradiation cage previously calibrated for measurement of the irradiation absorbed.
Setup	The rat was located between a irradiating antenna and a receiving antenna with its head at an EMF maximum (as determined by FDTD calculations for the setup).

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power	0.225 W	-	-	-	-
SAR	0.24 W/kg	mean	measured and calculated	1 g	whole body
SAR	1.3 W/kg	peak value	measured and calculated	1 g	whole body
SAR	0.42 W/kg	mean	measured and calculated	1 g	brain
SAR	0.47 W/kg	peak value	measured and calculated	1 g	brain

Measurement and calculation details

The power absorbed by the rat was calculated as the difference between the powers dissipated in the cage with and without the rat in the tube. In order to calculate the SAR values, the absorbance was scaled using the values obtained in FDTD simulations of a phantom rat.

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Frequency	900 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 2 h
Additional info	Picrotoxin-treated

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Repetition frequency	217 Hz
Additional info	GSM-modulated

Exposure setup

Exposure source	same setup as exposure 1
Additional info	Picrotoxin was injected i.p. immediately before exposure.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power	0.225 W	-	-	-	-
SAR	0.15 W/kg	mean	measured and calculated	1 g	whole body
SAR	0.85 W/kg	peak value	measured and calculated	1 g	whole body
SAR	0.27 W/kg	mean	measured and calculated	1 g	brain
SAR	0.31 W/kg	peak value	measured and calculated	1 g	brain

Reference articles

Fritze K et al. (1997): Effect of global system for mobile communication microwave exposure on the genomic response of the rat brain

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

effects on the neurological system: EEG; number of c-Fos-positive cells in relevant brain areas (cerebral cortex, hippocampal structures, thalamus)
cognitive/behavioral endpoints: behaviour (video recording)

Investigated system:

tissue slices
investigation on living organism

Investigated organ system:

brain/CNS

Time of investigation:

during exposure
after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Data of group 1 (picrotoxin and irradiation) showed that rats suffered seizures and the levels of the neuronal activity marker c-Fos in neocortex, paleocortex, hippocampus and thalamus increased markedly. Non-irradiated picrotoxin-treated animals did not suffer seizures, and their cerebral c-Fos counts were significantly lower. Irradiation caused no such differences in rats that had not been pretreated with picrotoxin.
The authors conclude that GSM-type irradiation can induce seizures in rats following their facilitation by subconvulsive doses of picrotoxin, and that research should be pursued into the possibility that this kind of irradiation may similarly affect brain function in humans with epileptic disorders.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Secretariat General for Research and Development of the Xunta de Galicia, Spain

Kouchaki E et al. (2016): Effect of mobile phone radiation on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure threshold in mice
Curcio G et al. (2015): Electromagnetic fields and EEG spiking rate in patients with focal epilepsy
Cinar N et al. (2013): What is the impact of electromagnetic waves on epileptic seizures?
Carballo-Quintas M et al. (2011): A study of neurotoxic biomarkers, c-fos and GFAP after acute exposure to GSM radiation at 900MHz in the picrotoxin model of rat brains
Vorobyov V et al. (2010): Repeated exposure to low-level extremely low frequency-modulated microwaves affects cortex-hypothalamus interplay in freely moving rats: EEG study
Lipping T et al. (2009): Using the nonlinear control of anesthesia-induced hypersensitivity of EEG at burst suppression level to test the effects of radiofrequency radiation on brain function
Lopez-Martin E et al. (2009): The action of pulse-modulated GSM radiation increases regional changes in brain activity and c-Fos expression in cortical and subcortical areas in a rat model of picrotoxin-induced seizure proneness
Ning W et al. (2007): Effects of GSM 1800 MHz on dendritic development of cultured hippocampal neurons
Finnie JW et al. (2007): Stress response in mouse brain after long-term (2 year) exposure to mobile telephone radiofrequency fields using the immediate early gene, c-fos
Finnie JW et al. (2006): Expression of the immediate early gene, c-fos, in fetal brain after whole of gestation exposure of pregnant mice to global system for mobile communication microwaves
Hossmann KA et al. (2003): Effects of electromagnetic radiation of mobile phones on the central nervous system
Dobson J et al. (2000): Changes in paroxysmal brainwave patterns of epileptics by weak-field magnetic stimulation
Persinger MA et al. (1999): Facilitation of seizures in limbic epileptic rats by complex 1 microTesla magnetic fields
Potschka H et al. (1998): Effect of low-intensity 50-Hz magnetic fields on kindling acquisition and fully kindled seizures in rats

GSM radiation triggers seizures and increases cerebral c-Fos positivity in rats pretreated with subconvulsive doses of picrotoxin med./bio.

Aim of study (acc. to author)

Background/further details

Endpoint

Exposure

General information

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Modulation

Exposure setup

Parameters

Measurement and calculation details

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Modulation

Exposure setup

Parameters

Reference articles

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Study funded by

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