Behaviors and memory of Wistar rats exposed to electromagnetic waves at a frequency of 930 MHz

L. TAZROUT; K. TALEA; S. EL AMRANI; I. Mâ€™TOUGUY; B. BOUBEKER; M. TALEA; A. BELHOUARI; R. SAILE; H. MESTAGHANMI

Volume : III, Issue : VI, June - 2014

Behaviors and memory of Wistar rats exposed to electromagnetic waves at a frequency of 930 MHz

L. Tazrout, K. Talea, S. El Amrani, I. M Touguy, B. Boubeker, M. Talea, A. Belhouari, R. Saile, H. Mestaghanmi

Abstract :

The mobile communication is based on the use of electromagnetic fields with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. Many studies on humans and animals have suggested that these microwaves could interfere with cognitive functions. In the present study, we examined the effects of chronic exposure of 3 months to a mobile phone radiation of 930 MHz, produced by a wave generator bound to a communication system, on Wistar rats memory, in using several tests including the radial maze and the hole board. 60 rats were divided into 6 groups according to sex (males and females) and duration of exposure (controls, exposed 1h and 2h). The statistical analysis of results was performed by repeated measures of ANOVA test and NewmanKeuls test, which allows comparison of the means in pairs. The Results were considered statistically significant when the probability p is less than 0.05. We observed that females are more affected by the action of the electromagnetic waves compared to males. The mean of errors made by rats during the radial maze test increases significantly (p<0,05) for both sexes in the exposed rats compared to the controls. When testing the hole board, the mean number of holes explored by animals decreases significantly while the mean number of stumbling increases significantly in both sexes in the exposed rats compared to controls. In conclusion, the electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phones may induce deficits at the working memory and reference, as well as the level of the exploratory and psychomotor capacities of Wistar rats.