Abstract

Overview

Postnatal neurogenesis is influenced by environmental factors such as microwave electromagnetic radiation (MWR). This study explores how MWR exposure during intrauterine growth affects neurogenesis in juvenile and adult rats, specifically in the rostral migratory stream (RMS) and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus.

Methodology

Female rats underwent daily MWR exposure of 2.45 GHz for 2 hours throughout pregnancy. The offspring were allowed to mature to juvenile or adult stages before performing morphological brain analyses. This included assessments of cell proliferation and death in key neurogenic regions.

Findings

• Prenatal MWR exposure resulted in noticeable changes in the proliferation and apoptosis of cells, which varied with the animal's age and specific neurogenic region.
• There was also a notable attenuation in the maturation of nitrergic neurons within the RMS of both juvenile and adult rats.
• Behavioral changes were observed in adult rats, indicating MWR's significant impact on neurological development and behavior.

Conclusion

The study highlighted significant morphological and behavioral impacts due to prenatal MWR exposure, pointing to a high sensitivity of the developing brain to microwave radiation.