title: Neurobiological effects of repeated radiofrequency exposures in male senescent rats.
abstract: The increasing use of mobile phones by aging people raises issues about the effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) on the aging central nervous system. Here, we tested if mobile phone RF-EMF exposures could exacerbate senescence-typical neurobiological deficits. Thus, aged (22-24 months) and young (4-6 months) adult male rats were subjected to head RF-EMF exposures (900 MHz, specific absorption rate (SAR) of 6 W/kg, 45 min/day for 1 month in restraint rockets). To assess senescence-typical neurobiological deficits, spatial memory, emotional memory, anxiety-related behavior, locomotor activity, interleukins (IL)-1β and 6, glial fibrillary acidic protein and corticosterone were measured. Aged rats presented deficits in spatial learning, exploration, anxiety-related behaviors, and increased hippocampal ILs and cortical IL-1β. Results showed that senescence-typical neurobiological deficits were not modified by RF-EMF exposures. RF-EMF-exposed rats (young and aged adults pooled) had decreased anxiety-related behaviors in the elevated plus maze. This study which is the first to assess RF-EMF exposures during late aging did not support the hypothesis of a specific cerebral vulnerability to RF-EMF during senescence. More investigations using longer RF-EMF exposures should be performed to conclude regarding the inoffensiveness of RF-EMF exposures.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Toxicologie Expérimentale, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Parc Technologique ALATA, BP no. 2, 60550, Verneuil-en-Halatte, France. marc.bouji@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouji
authors.affiliation: Unité de Toxicologie Expérimentale, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Parc Technologique ALATA, BP no. 2, 60550, Verneuil-en-Halatte, France.|PERITOX EA 4285-UM INERIS 01 UFR de médecine, 3, rue des Louvels, 80036, Amiens, France.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lecomte
authors.affiliation: Unité de Toxicologie Expérimentale, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Parc Technologique ALATA, BP no. 2, 60550, Verneuil-en-Halatte, France.|PERITOX EA 4285-UM INERIS 01 UFR de médecine, 3, rue des Louvels, 80036, Amiens, France.
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gamez
authors.affiliation: Unité de Toxicologie Expérimentale, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Parc Technologique ALATA, BP no. 2, 60550, Verneuil-en-Halatte, France.|PERITOX EA 4285-UM INERIS 01 UFR de médecine, 3, rue des Louvels, 80036, Amiens, France.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blazy
authors.affiliation: Unité de Toxicologie Expérimentale, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Parc Technologique ALATA, BP no. 2, 60550, Verneuil-en-Halatte, France.|PERITOX EA 4285-UM INERIS 01 UFR de médecine, 3, rue des Louvels, 80036, Amiens, France.
authors.forename: Anne-Sophie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Villégier
mesh_terms: D065638:Absorption, Radiation; D000375:Aging / Q000528:radiation effects*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000528:radiation effects; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D000069079:Radiation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
keywords: Aging; Fear conditioning; IL-1β; IL-6; Radiofrequency fields; Spatial learning