Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Does head-only exposure to GSM-900 electromagnetic fields affect the performance of rats in spatial learning tasks? med./bio.

By: Dubreuil D, Jay T, Edeline JM

Published in: Behav Brain Res 2002; 129 (1-2): 203-210

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Aim of study (acc. to author)

To determine whether learning capacities are altered in rats exposed to GSM electromagnetic fields (900 MHz).

Endpoint

cognitive/behavioral endpoints: learning capacity

Exposure

- mobile communications
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 900 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: repeated daily exposure for 45 min for 10 or 14 days	SAR: 1 W/kg average over mass (brain) SAR: 3.5 W/kg average over mass (brain)

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	900 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	repeated daily exposure for 45 min for 10 or 14 days
Additional info	Reference article: Chaillou S, Levaque P, Luc J, Dale C, Brishoual M, Dulou P-E, Wiart J. Dosimetric study of a loop antenna for local exposure of rats at 900 MHz, Bioelectromagnetics, submitted for publication.

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Duty cycle	12.5 %
Repetition frequency	217 Hz

Exposure setup

Exposure source	loop antenna: printed circuit with 2 metallic lines printed on dielectric substrate
Setup	During exposure, rats were restrained in rockets made of 5-mm-thick Plexiglas and consisting of a cylinder (6 cm diameter, 15 cm length) and a truncated cone (3 cm length) in which the rat inserted its head. The loop antenna was placed against the cone directly above the rat's head. The four rockets for simultaneous exposure were separated from each other by a double layer of a 12 cm absorbing material to prevent interference from one antenna to another.
Additional info	The performances of exposed rats were compared to those of sham-exposed and cage-control rats.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
SAR	1 W/kg	average over mass	measured and calculated	brain	-
SAR	3.5 W/kg	average over mass	measured and calculated	brain	-

Measurement and calculation details

The SARs were determined experimentally using either a Vitek probe for the measurement of temperature rises or an electric field probe. FDTD calculations were done on homogeneous and non-homogeneous phantoms and the agreement among the three independent methods was very good (see reference article).

Exposed system:

animal
rat/Sprague-Dawley
partial body: head

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

cognitive/behavioral endpoints: learning capacity (classical radial maze elimination task; spatial navigation task in an open field arena)

Investigated system:

investigation on living organism

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

There were no differences among exposed, sham, and cage-control rats in the two spatial learning tasks.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Ministère de l'Economie, des Finances et de l'Industrie (Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry), France
Ministère délégué à l'Enseignement supérieur et à la Recherche (Ministry of National Education and Research), France

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