The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 900 megahertz (MHz) electromagnetic field (EMF) applied in the prenatal period on rat peripheral nerve morphology, nerve conduction velocity, and locomotor activity. Nine pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were assigned into three groups. No procedure was applied to the first group (control). The second (sham) group was placed inside an EMF cage for 1 h a day throughout the experiment (days 1-21 of pregnancy), but was not exposed to EMF. The third group (EMF) was placed inside the EMF cage for 1 h a day throughout the experiment (days 1-21 of pregnancy) and exposed to a 900 MHz EMF. No procedure was applied to the newborn pups until postnatal (PN) day 21, and new groups were constituted from among these. All the newly established groups were subjected to the open field and rotarod tests on PN days 21 and 60, after which electrophysiological measurements were performed on the groups in line with the study protocol. Sciatic nerves obtained from the animals sacrificed on PN day 60 were subjected to histopathological, histomorphometric, immunohistochemical, and biochemical analyses. In light of the study results, we concluded that prenatal application of a 900 MHz EMF adversely affects rat peripheral nerve development, and that these effects persist up to adulthood such as to be detectable in the sciatic nerve morphology, but that these morphological changes are not sufficiently severe to affect functional associated with the sciatic nerve.
Keywords: Cell phone; electromagnetic field; peripheral nerve; prenatal exposure; rat.
This study explores the impact of a 900 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) applied during the prenatal period on the peripheral nerve morphology, nerve conduction velocity, and locomotor activity of rats. Nine pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control, sham, and EMF. The control group received no treatment, the sham group was placed in an EMF cage without exposure, and the EMF group was exposed to the 900 MHz EMF for 1 hour daily throughout pregnancy. The offspring were tested on postnatal days 21 and 60 using open field and rotarod tests, followed by electrophysiological assessments. Sciatic nerves from the sacrificed animals on postnatal day 60 underwent histopathological, histomorphometric, immunohistochemical, and biochemical analyses. The results indicated that prenatal EMF exposure negatively affects peripheral nerve development in rats, with these effects persisting into adulthood, though not severe enough to impair functional outcomes associated with the sciatic nerve. Additionally, the study provides context on the evolution of communication technologies, emphasizing the increasing use of EMF-emitting devices like cell phones. Given that these devices emit EMF even in standby mode, understanding their potential effects on peripheral nerve integrity is crucial, especially considering the vital role of Schwann cells in nerve development and function. The findings underscore the need for further investigation into the long-term impacts of EMF exposure on peripheral nerve health, particularly during critical developmental periods.