ID Number		481
Study Type		In Vivo
Model		2450 MHz (CW) exposure to rats and analysis of EEG and behavior (parallel studies at NIEHS and Soviet MRIGCH).
Details		Fisher rats (male) were exposed to 2450 MHz (CW) microwaves for 7 hours at a SAR of 2.7 W/kg (whole body average) in an anechoic chamber and analyzed for effects on the nervous system. Duplicate studies were carried out by U.S. scientists at NIEHS and Soviet scientists at the A. N. Marzeev Research Institute of General and Communal Health (MRIGCH). In animals exposed at NIEHS, there was an increase in latency for passive avoidance behaviour that was not replicated in Russia. Neither group found changes in open field activity. In animals exposed at NIEHS, there was also a reduction in Na+, K+ -ATPase activity (but not Ca++, Mg++ -ATPase or alkaline phosphatase activity) that was also not replicated in Russia. Both NIEHS and Russian groups reported microwave effects on various EEG spectral bands, although the effects were not the same - the NIEHS group reported increased alpha band (8-13 Hz), and decreased beta 2 (21-30 Hz), and gamma band (31-70Hz) activity in exposed animals, while the Russian group reported decreased theta band (4-7 Hz) activity in exposed animals. In a related study (Bioelectromagnetics (1988) 9:259-268) at the NIEHS, MW exposure decreased startle response but not trained avoidance behavior. The authors suggest that MWs may facilitate a normal decline in motor activity observed during a test period due to habituation.
Findings		Effects (only at thermal levels)
Status		Completed With Publication
Principal Investigator		NIEHS, RTP North Carolina, USA
Funding Agency		NIEHS, USA
Country		UNITED STATES
References		Mitchell, CL et al. Environ. Health Perspect., (1989) 81:201-209 Mitchell, CL et al. Bioelectromagnetics, (1988) 9:259-268 McRee, DI Bull N Y Acad Med., (1979) 55:1133-1151 McRee, DI Proceedings of the IEEE., (1980) 68:84-91
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