title: Analgetic effects of non-thermal GSM-1900 radiofrequency electromagnetic fields in the land snail Helix pomatia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether mobile phone radiation might affect snail nociception, employing radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) which, to our knowledge, have hitherto not been studied in a snail model. Exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields has however been shown to significantly affect nociceptive responses.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, we exposed 29 land snails of the strain Helix pomatia to global system for mobile communications (GSM) EMF at 1900 MHz at the non-thermal level 48 mW/kg for 1 hour each and 29 snails were sham controls. The experiments took place during the onset of summer, with all snails being well out of hibernation. Before and after GSM or sham exposure, the snails were subjected to thermal pain by being placed on a hot plate. The reaction time for retraction from the hot plate was measured by two blinded observers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparing the reaction pattern of each snail before and after exposure, the GSM-exposed snails were less sensitive to thermal pain as compared to the sham controls, indicating that RF exposure induces a significant analgesia (Mann-Whitney p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study might support earlier findings, describing beneficial effects of EMF exposure upon nociception.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, The Rausing Laboratory, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. Henrietta.Nittby@med.lu.se
authors: Henrietta
authors: H
authors: Nittby
authors: Mehri Kaviani
authors: MK
authors: Moghadam
authors: Wenjun
authors: W
authors: Sun
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Malmgren
authors: Jacob
authors: J
authors: Eberhardt
authors: Bertil R
authors: BR
authors: Persson
authors: Leif G
authors: LG
authors: Salford
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D040421:Cell Phone; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006372:Helix, Snails; D059225:Nociception / Q000528:radiation effects*; D000078702:Radiofrequency Therapy