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Table 3 The influence of microwave radiation on learning and memory

From: Recent advances in the effects of microwave radiation on brains

Item

Reference

Method

Sample/Model

Exposure condition

Results

Negative effects

Sareesh et al. 2009

MWM

Male Wistar rats (10–12 weeks old)

50 missed calls/day for 4 weeks from a GSM (900/1800 MHz) mobile phone in vibratory mode (no ring tone)

Mobile phone exposure affected the acquisition of learned responses in Wistar rats

Wang et al. 2013

MWM

Male Wistar rats

2.856 GHz pulsed microwave field for 6 min (unexposed, 5, 10 and 50 mW/cm2)

10 and 50 mW/cm2 displayed significant deficits inspatial learning and memory

Lai et al. 1994

12 radial-arm maze

Rats

Exposure to pulsed 2450 MHz microwaves for 45 min

Deficit in spatial “working memory” function

Neutral effects

Cassel et al. 2004

12 radial-arm maze

Rats

2.45 GHz microwaves (500 pps, pulse width = 2 μs, average whole body SAR = 0.6 W/kg for 45 min)

Microwave-induced behavioral alterations measured by Lai had more to do with factors related to performance bias than to spatial working memory

Cosquer et al. 2005

12 radial-arm maze

Rats

Whole-body exposure to 2.45 GHz electromagnetic fields

Radial-arm maze performance in rats did not changed

Cobb et al. 2004

12 radial-arm maze

Rats

45 min exposure to 2450 MHz fields at whole body SARs of 0.6 W/kg (500pps, pulse width = 2 μs); pre-exposure injection of one of three psychoactive compounds or saline

Exposure to microwave radiation did not cause decrements in the ability of rats to learn the spatial memory task

  1. GSM Global system for mobile communication, MWM Millimeter wave mixer