Single microwave pulses at 1.25 GHz were delivered to the head and neck of rats as a prestimulus to acoustic and tactile startle. The effectiveness of single microwave pulses as prestimuli were tested.
For acoustic startle, pulses averaging 0.96 microseconds in duration were tested with two specific absorption rate ranges, 15.0-30.0 kW/kg and 35.5-86.0 kW/kg, delivered 201, 101, 51, 3, and 1 ms before and 1 ms after onset of a startling noise. For tactile startle, either microwave pulses averaging 7.82 microseconds in duration and 55.9-113.3 kW/kg or 94 dB SPL clicks were delivered 157, 107, 57, and 7 ms before and 43 ms after onset of a startling air burst.
Frequency | 1.25 GHz |
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Type | |
Charakteristic |
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Exposure duration | 15 min |
Modulation type | single pulse |
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Exposure source |
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Chamber | Plexiglas holder: 18.9 long, internal and outer diameter of 7 and 7.6 cm respectively |
Setup | Animals were tested in cylindrical holders that positioned the head within the exposure device and restricted extraneous motion. |
Additional info | The waveguide terminated with a shorting screen inside a sound-attenuating chamber. The terminal section of the waveguide accepted the animal holder through a round hole in one broad wall to position the head of the animal inside the waveguide. |
The data show that a single microwave pulse of sufficient intensity can modify the amplitude and/or latency of whole-body acoustic or tactile startle of the rat depending on the timing between it and startling stimulus. The low-intensity pulse did not affect peak amplitude, integral, or latency of the acoustic startle response. The high-intensity pulse at 101 and 51 ms inhibited the acoustic startle response (by decreasing peak amplitude and integral); at 201 and 51 ms latency was increased. The high-intensity pulse at 1 ms enhanced the acoustic startle response by increasing peak amplitude and at 3 ms by increasing integral. The microwave pulse at 57 ms inhibited the tactile startle response by decreasing peak amplitude; at 157, 107, 57, and 7 ms it increased latency. The microwave pulse at 43 ms enhanced the tactile startle response by increasing peak amplitude.
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