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Low‐Level Microwave Irradiations Affect Central Cholinergic Activity in the Rat
Author(s) -
Lai Henry,
Horita Akira,
Chou ChungKwong,
Guy Arthur W.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1987.tb13124.x
Subject(s) - affect (linguistics) , cholinergic , neuroscience , cholinergic system , chemistry , biophysics , biology , psychology , communication
Sodium‐dependent high‐affinity choline uptake was measured in various regions of the brains of rats irradiated for 45 min with either pulsed or continuous‐wave low‐level microwaves (2, 450 MHz; power density, 1 mW/cm 2 ; average whole‐body specific absorption rate, 0.6 W/kg). Pulsed microwave irradiation (2‐μs pulses, 500 pulses/s) decreased choline uptake in the hippocampus and frontal cortex but had no significant effect on the hypothalamus, stria‐turn, and inferior colliculus. Pretreatment with a narcotic antagonist (naloxone or naltrexone; 1 mg/kg i.p.) blocked the effect of pulsed microwaves on hippocampal choline uptake but did not significantly alter the effect on the frontal cortex. Irradiation with continuous‐wave microwaves did not significantly affect choline uptake in the hippocampus, striatum, and hypothalamus but decreased the uptake in the frontal cortex. The effect on the frontal cortex was not altered by pretreatment with narcotic antagonist. These data suggest that exposure to low‐level pulsed or continuous‐wave microwaves leads to changes in cholinergic functions in the brain.