Exposure to GSM 900MHz electromagnetic fields affects cerebral cytochrome c oxidase activity

The world-wide and rapidly growing use of mobile phones has raised serious concerns about the biological and health-related effects of radio frequency (RF) radiation, particularly concerns about the effects of RFs upon the nervous system. The goal of this study was conducted to measure cytochrome oxidase (CO) levels using histochemical methods in order to evaluate regional brain metabolic activity in rat brain after exposure to a GSM 900MHz signal for 45min/day at a brain-averaged specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1.5W/Kg or for 15min/day at a SAR of 6W/Kg over seven days. Compared to the sham and control cage groups, rats exposed to a GSM signal at 6W/Kg showed decreased CO activity in some areas of the prefrontal and frontal cortex (infralimbic cortex, prelimbic cortex, primary motor cortex, secondary motor cortex, anterior cingulate cortex areas 1 and 2 (Cg1 and Cg2)), the septum (dorsal and ventral parts of the lateral septal nucleus), the hippocampus (dorsal field CA1, CA2 and CA3 of the hippocampus and dental gyrus) and the posterior cortex (retrosplenial agranular cortex, primary and secondary visual cortex, perirhinal cortex and lateral entorhinal cortex). However, the exposure to GSM at 1.5W/Kg did not affect brain activity. Our results indicate that 6W/Kg GSM 900MHz microwaves may affect brain metabolism and neuronal activity in rats.