Studies of the teratogenic potential of exposure of rats to 6000-MHz microwave radiation. II. Postnatal psychophysiologic evaluations.
Wistar rats (36) were exposed daily throughout pregnancy to a power density level of 35 mW/cm2 of 6000-MHz microwave radiation (11), sham irradiated (10), or used as control animals (15). Litters were culled to a maximum of eight F1a offspring/litter (total = 124) on Postnatal Day 1 and subjected to a series of reflex tests beginning Day 3. Mothers were rebred 10 days after weaning. Teratologic evaluations were completed on 263 F1b offspring. Weekly weights were recorded for 298 F1a offspring. At 60 days, behavioral testing was initiated on 121 offspring. At 90 days, offspring were bred within/across groups. Teratologic evaluations were completed on 659 F2 term fetuses. Organ weight analyses were completed on 17 mothers and 181 F1a adult offspring, and blood analyses on 21 mothers and 131 offspring. Sex differences within groups were observed in four behavioral tests and in blood data. Significant differences between groups were observed for: F1b term fetal weight; F1a eye opening, postnatal growth to the fifth week, water T-maze and open field test results; and several organ/body weight ratios. These results indicate that exposure to 6000-MHz radiation at this power density level may result in subtle long-term neurophysiologic alterations not detectable at term using conventional morphologic teratologic procedures.
D000016:Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000528:radiation effects; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008098:Litter Size / Q000528:radiation effects; D008872:Microwaves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000528:radiation effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012018:Reflex / Q000528:radiation effects*
D006454:Hemoglobins