Investigation of the effects of electromagnetic field exposure on developing rat (Wistar albino) hippocampus

Because of the widespread use of mobile phones throughout the world even at an early age, the effects of electromagnetic field (EMA) emitted by mobile phones on living organisms and human health have become one of the most important research topics. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of EMA effect emitted by mobile phones on the hippocampus region of the brain during childhood and adolescence. In this study, newborn Wistar albino rats were divided into 5 groups as Control 1-21 (CONT 1-21), EMA 1-21, Control 60 (CONT 60), EMA 21-60 and EMA 1-60 (n = 6). EMA 1-21 and EMA 1-60 rats were exposed to the electromagnetic field emitted by cell phones placed in cages every day from the day they were born until the day they were sacrificed. From these mobile phones, videos were opened from youtube for 2 hours a day, 10 minutes of call per hour for 8 hours and left in stand-by mode at other times. The same procedure was performed between 21st and 60th days in the EMA 21-60 group, which is considered as adolescent period in rats. No action was applied to the CONT groups. Rats were subjected to behavioral tests before sacrifice. Samples taken from brain tissues of sacrificed rats were evaluated by histopathological, stereological and immunohistochemical methods. The hippocampus volumes of the rats in the EMA 1-60 group were significantly reduced when compared with the CONT groups (p≤0.05). Morphological changes were observed in the hippocampal neurons of all EMA exposed groups. In addition, an increase in apoptotic cell density was observed in EMA groups compared to CONT groups. However, these changes were most prominent in the EMA1-60 group among the EMA groups. Behavioral tests also showed a decrease in locomotor activity, an increase in anxiety, delay in learning and memory in the EMA 1-60 group. As a result, exposure to EMA spreading from mobile phones in childhood and adolescence from birth causes morphological damage to the hippocampus, which causes various behavioral disorders, learning and memory difficulties in rats. Key words: Electromagnetic field, Cell phone, Child, Adolescent, Hippocampus