Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Postnatal development and behavior effects of in-utero exposure of rats to radiofrequency waves emitted from conventional WiFi devices med./bio.

By: Othman H, Ammari M, Rtibi K, Bensaid N, Sakly M, Abdelmelek H

Published in: Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 2017; 52: 239-247

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To examine the effects of prenatal exposure of rats to a WiFi signal on development and behavior in rat offspring.

Background/further details

Pregnant dams were divided in an exposure and sham exposure group (n=5 respectively). The exposed dams gave birth to 37 pups and the sham exposed to 63 pups. Pups were killed after 28 or 43 days for brain examinations.

Endpoint

effects on the neurological system: mental development and oxidative stress in brain of rat pups

Exposure

- 2.45 GHz
- RF
- W-LAN/WiFi

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 2.45 GHz Exposure duration: 2 hours/day during gestation	-

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	2.45 GHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	2 hours/day during gestation

Exposure setup

Exposure source	commercial WiFi modem
Distance between exposed object and exposure source	25 cm
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

No parameters are specified for this exposure.

Additional parameter details

no parameters given for signal strength

Reference articles

Othman H et al. (2017): Effects of prenatal exposure to WIFI signal (2.45GHz) on postnatal development and behavior in rat: Influence of maternal restraint
Saili L et al. (2015): Effects of acute exposure to WIFI signals (2.45GHz) on heart variability and blood pressure in Albinos rabbit

Exposed system:

animal
rat/Wistar albino (embryo)
whole body

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

cognitive/behavioral endpoints: anxiety-like behavior (on postnatal day 28) (elevated plus maze)
effects on the neurological system: Physical and reflex development: rooting reflex (daily for 17 days after birth), vibrissae placing response (daily for 17 days after birth), righting reflex (turning from supine to prone position) (daily for 17 days after birth), negative geotaxis reflex (daily for 8 days after birth), motor ability (daily for 10 days after birth and on postnatal day 40-43) (rotarod performance test), suspension test (daily for 17 days after birth); enzyme activity of cholinesterase (in brain) and butrylcholinesterase (in brain and serum) (Ellman method)
oxidative stress in brain: lipid peroxidation via level of malondialdehyde (double heating method), level of hydrogen peroxide, enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (epinephrine assay) and catalase (spectrophotometry), concentration of thiol groups, total protein content
number of pups per litter, sex ratio, mortality (day of birth), weight (daily for 17 days after birth), time of eye opening

Investigated system:

brain homogenates, blood serum
investigation on living organism

Investigated organ system:

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Rooting reflex was significantly reduced but consisted longer in prenatal exposed rat pups when compared to sham exposed pups. Additionally, the development of the righting reflex and the negative geotaxis reflex were significantly delayed in exposed pups compared to sham exposed pups. The rotarod performance test and the suspension test showed that motor ability was significantly worse in exposed pups compared to sham exposed ones. Exposed pups opened their eyes one day earlier then sham exposed ones.
Oxidative stress parameters were significantly different in rats killed and examined after 28 days: The lipid peroxidation and level of hydrogen peroxide were significantly increased in exposed rats compared to sham exposed ones while the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were significantly decreased. However, in 43 day old exposed rats, only the level of hydrogen peroxide was increased when compared to 43 day old sham exposed rats.
The enzyme activity of acetylcholinesterase was significantly increased in 28 and 43 day old exposed rats when compared to sham exposed rats of the same age while the enzyme activity of butrylcholinesterase was significantly decreased in 43 day old exposed rats.
The authors conclude that prenatal exposure of rats to a WiFi signal could impair neurodevelopment of rat pups and induce biochemical alterations in the brain of young rats but has no behavioral effects.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MHESR), Tunisia

Othman H et al. (2017): Effects of repeated restraint stress and WiFi signal exposure on behavior and oxidative stress in rats
Sangun O et al. (2015): The effects of long-term exposure to a 2450 MHz electromagnetic field on growth and pubertal development in female Wistar rats
Shirai T et al. (2014): Multigenerational effects of whole body exposure to 2.14 GHz W-CDMA cellular phone signals on brain function in rats
Ait-Aissa S et al. (2013): In situ expression of heat-shock proteins and 3-nitrotyrosine in brains of young rats exposed to a WiFi signal in utero and in early life
Poulletier de Gannes F et al. (2012): Effect of in utero wi-fi exposure on the pre- and postnatal development of rats
Ait-Aissa S et al. (2010): In situ detection of gliosis and apoptosis in the brains of young rats exposed in utero to a Wi-Fi signal