The Impacts of Varied Durations of 1800 MHz Mobile Phone Exposure on Oxidative Stress in the Brain and Adrenal Glands of Male Wistar Rats

The effects of prolonged and consistent use of these devices may lead to detrimental health implications due to the emission of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) by mobile phones. This research was performed to examine the impact of extended exposure to 1800 MHz mobile phone EMR on alterations in the parameters related to oxidative stress in brain tissue, focusing on malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, the thickness of zona fasciculata of the adrenal gland, and spatial memory functions. The part exposed to EMR radiation was the entire body of the rat with the exposure source placed under the cage. An 1800 MHz frequency mobile phone with a Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of 0.897 W/kg in the GSM spectrum was used. Thirty-two eight-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: K (control), P1 (1 hour/day EMR exposure), P2 (2 hours/day EMR exposure), and P3 (3 hours/day EMR exposure) over 30 days. MDA levels were measured using a spectrophotometer, while histological analysis assessed the zona fasciculata thickness of the adrenal gland. Spatial memory was evaluated using an eight-arm radial maze. A p-value < 0.05 indicates statistical significance. The results showed that the group exposed to EMR for 3 hours/day showed high MDA levels and increased thickness in the zona fasciculata, yet no significant difference is found in spatial memory scores. These findings revealed that longer exposure to mobile phone EMR triggered oxidative stress in the brain and structural changes in the adrenal gland, but was not able to change the function of spatial memory.