Analgetic effects of non-thermal GSM-1900 radiofrequency electromagnetic fields in the land snail Helix pomatia

Abstract

Purpose: 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.

Materials and 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).

Conclusion: This study might support earlier findings, describing beneficial effects of EMF exposure upon nociception.

Keywords::

• GSM
• Helix pomatia
• nociception

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Erratum

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Professor Rolf Elofsson, at the Department of Cell and Organism Biology, Institute of Zoology, at Lund University, for excellent advice regarding the biological functions of the snails. We also thank Professor Sven-Axel Bengtson, Head of the Museum of Zoology, Lund University, and Professor Bengt Widegren at Rausing Laboratory, Lund University, for further valuable advice regarding snails. We are also deeply grateful to Mr Jimmie Stjernström and EPECON AB, Helsingborg, Sweden, for donating the hot plate to our laboratory, and to the staff of Lund University Hospital's Dept for Medical Technology, who supplied the circulating water bath equipment. This work was supported by the Hans and Märit Rausing Charitable Foundation.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.