In‐vitro exposure of neuronal networks to the GSM‐1800 signal

Abstract

The central nervous system is the most likely target of mobile telephony radiofrequency (RF) field exposure in terms of biological effects. Several electroencephalography (EEG) studies have reported variations in the alpha-band power spectrum during and/or after RF exposure, in resting EEG and during sleep. In this context, the observation of the spontaneous electrical activity of neuronal networks under RF exposure can be an efficient tool to detect the occurrence of low-level RF effects on the nervous system. Our research group has developed a dedicated experimental setup in the GHz range for the simultaneous exposure of neuronal networks and monitoring of electrical activity. A transverse electromagnetic (TEM) cell was used to expose the neuronal networks to GSM-1800 signals at a SAR level of 3.2 W/kg. Recording of the neuronal electrical activity and detection of the extracellular spikes and bursts under exposure were performed using microelectrode arrays (MEAs). This work provides the proof of feasibility and preliminary results of the integrated investigation regarding exposure setup, culture of the neuronal network, recording of the electrical activity, and analysis of the signals obtained under RF exposure. In this pilot study on 16 cultures, there was a 30% reversible decrease in firing rate (FR) and bursting rate (BR) during a 3 min exposure to RF. Additional experiments are needed to further characterize this effect.

Searching for the Perfect Wave: The Effect of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields on Cells

“…Similarly, no change was detected in physiological parameters in the nasal area [37] or in the oral mucosa cells both spatially close to cell phone EMF exposure [38]. Regarding neuronal networking, Moretti [39] published a report about the thermal effect of short-term exposure to GSM-1800 on neuronal firing by measuring the spontaneous electrical activity in vitro . In this case, the increase of firing activity detected was ascribed to the increase of localized temperature that might influence general EEG and neuronal tissue functions in vivo .…”

Long‐term electromagnetic exposure of developing neuronal networks: A flexible experimental setup

“…In vitro exposure experiments help to overcome this problem. They are a favorable approach to studying possible effects on a cellular level, regardless of whether cell cultures are seeded as monolayers [Schuderer et al, ; O'Connor et al, ; Moretti et al, ], in suspension [Schönborn et al, ; Schuderer et al, ] or as three‐dimensional (3‐D) reaggregates [Daus et al, ].…”

“…These conditions limit its application in terms of frequency variability and usability. An open RF exposure setup based on transverse electromagnetic (TEM) waves was presented by Merla et al [] and Moretti et al []. To avoid external disturbances in the open structured setup, the system is located in an electromagnetic compatibility test chamber.…”

Electromagnetic Analysis of an Aperture Modified Tem Cell Including an Ito Layer for Real-Time Observation of Biological Cells Exposed to Microwaves

“…It is known that small TEM cells have a high useful frequency band. We have previously used the TEM cell shown in Figure 1 as a delivery system for microwaves [8,9,14,27,28] and for nanosecond electric pulses [17,29,30]. The biological sample was placed in a 35-mm Petri dish centered above the TEM cell lower plate.…”

“…For real-time investigation, specific exposure systems have also been designed incorporating multiple electrode arrays (MEA) [7][8][9] and coplanar waveguides [10,11]. A few studies include monitoring of the sample using microscopic imaging.…”