Abstract

Overview

The ever-increasing use of mobile phones has generated public concerns about potential harmful effects from radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) near the brain. This study focuses on how RF-EMFs could affect brain structures, particularly looking at autophagy activation in different regions.

Findings

• C57BL/6 mice were exposed to an 835 MHz RF-EMF at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4.0 W/kg for 12 weeks.
• Post-exposure analysis was done on the hippocampus and brain stem via quantitative real-time PCR and transmission electron microscopy.
• Significant upregulation of autophagic genes and changes in autophagy regulatory proteins were observed exclusively in the hippocampus.
• No notable changes were detected in the brain stem.

Conclusion

The study concludes that autophagy, a possibly adaptive response to RF-EMF exposure, is induced in the hippocampus but not in the brain stem. This finding could be crucial for understanding how different brain regions react to electromagnetic exposures from mobile phones, raising concerns about potential health risks associated with long-term RF-EMF exposure.