Effects of non-ionizing radiation on neural development and mature brain: An experimental study employing human and rodent, organotypic brain slice cultures and neural stem cells, now extended with studies on neuronal glucose consumption and changes in susceptibility to ischemia-like conditions.

project team:

Prof. Jens Zimmer Rasmussen, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Univ. of Southern Denmark.

Assoc. prof. Henrik Jahnsen, Medical Physiology, Copenhagen University

Prof. Volkert Hansen, Electromagnetic Theory, University of Wuppertal, Germany

research institution:

Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Southern Denmark, Department of Medical Physiology, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, University of Wuppertal, Germany

A possible risk from the exposure of non-ionizing radiation from mobile telephony is expected to be greatest for cells and tissue near the source. i.e. the mobile phone. In this project the focus is on the brain, and specifically the hippocampus, which is located in the temporal lobe of the brain, close to the ear and normal position of a mobile phone. In cooperation with University of Wuppertal, Germany an exposure setup has been established for radiating brain slices in a well defined radial waveguide system with many simultaneous exposures of multiple cultures of brain tissue and cells. The exposures, which can be made continuous or intermittent, include GSM (900 and 1800 MHz) and UMTS (2000 MHz) systems with estimated SAR values in the order of 0.02, 1 and 2 W/kg.

Using defined RF exposures, imitating mast and mobile phone emissions, the aim is to detect possible adverse, structural, molecular and functional changes affecting nerve cell development and survival and synaptic transmission and plasticity in developing and mature, normal brain tissue, as well as changing neuronal susceptibility to known harmful events, like episodes of cerebral ischemia-like oxygen-glucose deprivation.

The following work packages have been defined.

WP1. Structural and molecular analyses of RF-exposed organotypic rodent hippocampal slice cultures.

WP2. Functional electrophysiological analyses of RF-exposed organotypic rodent hippocampal slice cultures.

WP3. DNA and telomere stability and chromatin modifications in RF-exposed rodent, slice cultures, neurospheres, and neural cell lines.

WP4 RF-effects on rodent and human, developing neural cell proliferation and differentiation.

RF exposures, using intermittant mobile phone mode (UMTS, 2000 MHz) with an estimated SAR value of 2 W/kg, have been completed corresponding to WP1 and 2, while a corresponding series for GSM (900 MHz) with an estimated SAR value of 0.8 W/kg is ongoing.

No publications as yet.

Read abstract from this study here ...


background research reading material publications links / contact
Danish Front page Det Strategiske Forskningsråd varetager forskningsprogrammet for ikke-ioniserende stråling. DSF’s bestyrelse udmønter ikke selv programmidler, og bestyrelsen har derfor nedsat en programkomite for ikke-ioniserende stråling bestående af fire anerkendte forskere. Der er afsat en samlet ramme på 30 mio. kr. til programmet. 15 mio. kr. blev uddelt i 2004, og 15 mio. kr. i 2005. Oplysninger om denne forskningsindsats – bl.a. omtale af de bevilgede projekter og forskernes oplæg på de afholdte åbne møder kan ses på DSF’s website på adressen: www.mobil.forsk.dk	Effects of non-ionizing radiation on neural development and mature brain: An experimental study employing human and rodent, organotypic brain slice cultures and neural stem cells, now extended with studies on neuronal glucose consumption and changes in susceptibility to ischemia-like conditions. project team: Prof. Jens Zimmer Rasmussen, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Univ. of Southern Denmark. Assoc. prof. Henrik Jahnsen, Medical Physiology, Copenhagen University Prof. Volkert Hansen, Electromagnetic Theory, University of Wuppertal, Germany research institution: Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Southern Denmark, Department of Medical Physiology, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, University of Wuppertal, Germany A possible risk from the exposure of non-ionizing radiation from mobile telephony is expected to be greatest for cells and tissue near the source. i.e. the mobile phone. In this project the focus is on the brain, and specifically the hippocampus, which is located in the temporal lobe of the brain, close to the ear and normal position of a mobile phone. In cooperation with University of Wuppertal, Germany an exposure setup has been established for radiating brain slices in a well defined radial waveguide system with many simultaneous exposures of multiple cultures of brain tissue and cells. The exposures, which can be made continuous or intermittent, include GSM (900 and 1800 MHz) and UMTS (2000 MHz) systems with estimated SAR values in the order of 0.02, 1 and 2 W/kg. Using defined RF exposures, imitating mast and mobile phone emissions, the aim is to detect possible adverse, structural, molecular and functional changes affecting nerve cell development and survival and synaptic transmission and plasticity in developing and mature, normal brain tissue, as well as changing neuronal susceptibility to known harmful events, like episodes of cerebral ischemia-like oxygen-glucose deprivation. The following work packages have been defined. WP1. Structural and molecular analyses of RF-exposed organotypic rodent hippocampal slice cultures. WP2. Functional electrophysiological analyses of RF-exposed organotypic rodent hippocampal slice cultures. WP3. DNA and telomere stability and chromatin modifications in RF-exposed rodent, slice cultures, neurospheres, and neural cell lines. WP4 RF-effects on rodent and human, developing neural cell proliferation and differentiation. RF exposures, using intermittant mobile phone mode (UMTS, 2000 MHz) with an estimated SAR value of 2 W/kg, have been completed corresponding to WP1 and 2, while a corresponding series for GSM (900 MHz) with an estimated SAR value of 0.8 W/kg is ongoing. No publications as yet. Read abstract from this study here ...