Interaction of ambient temperature and microwave power density on schedule-controlled behavior in the rat med./bio.

To quantify the interactive effects of microwave power density and temperature on behavioral changes of rats.

Groups of rats were exposed to 2450 MHz continuous wave (CW) microwaves for 15.5 hours under different combinations of power density and air temperature (0, 8, or 14 mW/cm² at 22°C, 26°C, or 30°C).

• animal
• rat/Long-Evans
• whole body

The data show that intensity of microwave exposure and ambient temperature interact to increase decrements in rates of behavioral responding measured at the termination of exposure. Microwave exposure reduced rates of responding in direct proportion to the power density at each ambient temperature.
After irradiation at 8 mW/cm² response rate were decreased by a mean of 13.8% at 22°C, 27.5% at 26°C, and 77.5% at 30°C. After irradiation at 14 mW/cm², rates were decreased by a mean of 21.1% at 22°C, 43.7% at 26°C, and 80.0% at 30°C.
In the absence of microwaves the higher temperatures caused only slight decreases in response rate.
Increases of body temperature and losses of body mass, although slight and within physiologically normal limits, were revealed along with the behavioral alterations after combined exposure to higher levels of temperature and microwave irradiation.