The effects of acute and chronic exposure to 900 MHz radiofrequency radiation on auditory brainstem response in adult rats

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of short and long-term RFR exposure on ABR by evaluating lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in adult rats. Sixty male albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. S1:1 week sham, S10:10 weeks sham, E1:1 week RFR, E10:10 weeks RFR. Experimental group rats were exposed to RFR 2 h/day, 5 days/week during the test period. Sham rats were kept in the same conditions without RFR. After the experiment, ABRs were recorded from the mastoids of rats using tone burst acoustic stimuli. Biochemical investigations in rat brain and ultrastructural analysis in temporal cortex were performed. ABR wave I latency prolonged in E1-group and shortened in E10-group compared to their shams. TBARS level increased in E1-group, decreased in E10-group, on the contrary, SOD and CAT activities and GSH level decreased in E1-group, increased in E10-group compared to their sham groups. Edema was present in the neuron and astrocyte cytoplasms and astrocyte end-feet in both E1 and E10 groups. Our results suggest that 900 MHz RFR may have negative effects on the auditory system in acute exposure and no adverse effects in chronic exposure without weekends.

KEYWORDS:

• Radiofrequency radiation
• auditory brainstem response
• lipid peroxidation
• antioxidant

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Research Foundation of Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey under Grant [number 2013.01.0102.013].

Disclosure of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Akdeniz University Research Foundation, Antalya, Turkey [2013.01.0102.013].