title: Short term exposure to 1439 MHz pulsed TDMA field does not alter melatonin synthesis in rats.
abstract: The widespread use of the mobile phone has initiated many studies on the possible adverse effects of a high frequency electromagnetic field (EMF), which is used in mobile phones. A low frequency EMF is reported to suppress melatonin synthesis. The aim of this study was to clarify the effects on melatonin synthesis in rats after short term exposure to a 1439 MHz time division multiple access (TDMA) EMF. The average specific absorption ratio (SAR) of the brain was 7.5 W/kg, and the average SARs of the whole body were 1.9 and 2.0 W/kg for male and female rats, respectively. A total of 208 male and female rats were investigated. After acclimatization to a 12 h light-dark (LD) cycle, serum and pineal melatonin levels together with pineal serotonin level under a dark condition (less than 1 lux) were examined by radioimmunoassay. No significant differences in melatonin and serotonin levels were observed between the exposure, sham, and cage control groups. These results suggest that short term exposure to a 1439 MHz TDMA EMF, which is about four times stronger than that emitted by mobile phones, does not alter melatonin and serotonin synthesis in rats. Further investigations on the effects of long term exposure are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. khata-tky@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Giichirou
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsurita
authors.forename: Soichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wake
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taki
authors.forename: Shoogo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D040421:Cell Phone; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008872:Microwaves; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D008550:Melatonin