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Fifty-gigahertz Microwave Exposure Effect of Radiations on Rat Brain

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology volume 158, pages 126–139 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

The object of this study is to investigate the effects of 50-GHz microwave radiation on the brain of Wistar rats. Male rats of the Wistar strain were used in the study. Animals of 60-day age were divided into two groups—group 1, sham-exposed, and group 2, experimental (microwave-exposed). The rats were housed in a temperature-controlled room (25 °C) with constant humidity (40–50%) and received food and water ad libitum. During exposure, rats were placed in Plexiglas cages with drilled ventilation holes and kept in an anechoic chamber. The animals were exposed for 2 h a day for 45 days continuously at a power level of 0.86 μW/cm2 with nominal specific absorption rate 8.0 × 10−4 w/kg. After the exposure period, the rats were killed and homogenized, and protein kinase C (PKC), DNA double-strand break, and antioxidant enzyme activity [superoxides dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)] were estimated in the whole brain. Result shows that the chronic exposure to these radiations causes DNA double-strand break (head and tail length, intensity and tail migration) and a significant decrease in GPx and SOD activity (p = <0.05) in brain cells, whereas catalase activity shows significant increase in the exposed group of brain samples as compared with control (p = <0.001). In addition to these, PKC decreased significantly in whole brain and hippocampus (p < 0.05). All data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. We conclude that these radiations can have a significant effect on the whole brain.

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Acknowledgment

Authors are thankful to Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, for financial assistance.

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  1. Bioelectromagnetic Laboratory, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India

    Kavindra Kumar Kesari & J. Behari

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Correspondence to J. Behari.

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Kesari, K.K., Behari, J. Fifty-gigahertz Microwave Exposure Effect of Radiations on Rat Brain. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 158, 126–139 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-008-8469-8

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Keywords

  • Glutathione peroxidase
  • Superoxidase
  • Catalase
  • Microwave radiation
  • Protein kinase C