Cell phone radiation exposure on brain and associated biological systems.

Wireless technologies are ubiquitous today and the mobile phones are one of the prodigious output of this technology. Although the familiarization and dependency of mobile phones is growing at an alarming pace, the biological effects due to the exposure of radiations have become a subject of intense debate. The present evidence on mobile phone radiation exposure is based on scientific research and public policy initiative to give an overview of what is known of biological effects that occur at radiofrequency (RF)/ electromagnetic fields (EMFs) exposure. The conflict in conclusions is mainly because of difficulty in controlling the affecting parameters. Biological effects are dependent not only on the distance and size of the object (with respect to the object) but also on the environmental parameters. Health endpoints reported to be associated with RF include childhood leukemia, brain tumors, genotoxic effects, neurological effects and neurodegenerative diseases, immune system deregulation, allergic and inflammatory responses, infertility and some cardiovascular effects. Most of the reports conclude a reasonable suspicion of mobile phone risk that exists based on clear evidence of bio-effects which with prolonged exposures may reasonably be presumed to result in health impacts. The present study summarizes the public issue based on mobile phone radiation exposure and their biological effects. This review concludes that the regular and long term use of microwave devices (mobile phone, microwave oven) at domestic level can have negative impact upon biological system especially on brain. It also suggests that increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role by enhancing the effect of microwave radiations which may cause neurodegenerative diseases.

Effects of low X-radiation doses on the central nervous system development: an experimental study in rats / Efeitos de baixas doses de radiação-X no desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso central: estudo experimental em ratos

OBJETIVO: Este trabalho analisa as conseqüências da irradiação-X no desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso de fetos de ratos. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: O trabalho foi constituído de 10 Rattus norvegicus albinos, Wistar, fêmeas, grávidas, com idade de oito semanas. Cinco ratas fêmeas constituíram o grupo controle e outras cinco tiveram suas regiões abdominais expostas por 30 segundos a uma dose de 0,3 Gy proveniente de um aparelho odontológico Gnatus de 70 kV e 10 mA. No 17º dia gestacional, ambos os grupos foram submetidos a histerectomia. As seções selecionadas foram examinadas para análise cerebral comparativa entre os grupos. RESULTADOS: O exame clínico revelou não haver diferenças morfológicas entre os grupos controle e experimental e nenhum dos animais apresentou anormalidades grosseiras. Vinte e sete por cento dos animais do grupo experimental apresentaram hemorragia cerebral moderada e 73 por cento apresentaram hemorragia severa e danos no tecido nervoso. Nenhum animal do grupo controle apresentou hemorragia cerebral ou danificações de tecido nervoso. CONCLUSÃO: Estas evidências demonstram que pequenas doses de radiação-X podem causar hemorragias cerebrais e, conseqüentemente, lesão tecidual nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: The present study analyzes the consequences of X-irradiation for the development of the nervous system of rat fetuses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample included ten eight-week-old, pregnant Rattus norvegicus albinus, Wistar. Five female rats constituted the control group and other five had their abdominal region exposed for 30 seconds to a single 0.3 Gy radiation dose from a 70 kV, 10 mA Gnatus odontological apparatus. At the 17th gestational day both groups were submitted to hysterectomy. Selected sections were examined for comparative brain analysis of both groups. RESULTS: The clinical evaluation demonstrated no morphological difference between the control and the experimental groups. Twenty-seven percent of the animals in the experimental group presented mild brain hemorrhage, while 73 percent of the animals had severe cerebral cortex hemorrhage and nervous tissue damage. None of the animals in the control group presented cerebral hemorrhage or nervous tissue damage. CONCLUSION: These evidences demonstrate that low X-radiation doses may cause brain hemorrhage and, consequently, nervous tissue damage.

Radioterapia del encéfalo y el neuroeje: planeación de un caso de meduloblastoma / Radiotherapy in encephalus and the neuroaxial

La radioterapia de los meduloblastomas es un tratamiento efectivo para lograr la curación de una proporción significativa de pacientes, en su mayoría niños o jóvenes. Tienen, sin embargo, riesgos de producir secuelas permanentes que de terioran la calidad de la vida de los sobrevivientes. La planeación del tratamiento es compleja y su ejecución debe ser precisa por lo que se requiere la colaboración del médico, el físico, el protesista y la técnica dosimetrista. Se revisan la literatura pertinente en cuando a dosis, volumen y técnica de tratamiento. Se presentan los procedimientos necesarios para planear y tratar con éxito y seguridad un caso de meduloblastoma que se diagnosticó en un niño de cinco años y seis meses de edad. En la primera semana del tratamiento se presentó hipertensión intracraneal moderada, debida a que no se había hecho derivación prerradioterapia del líquido cefalorraquídeo, lo que nos obligó a reducir la dosis diaria de radiación con lo que se logró muy buena tolerancia local y neurológica durante el resto del tratamiento. Hubo leucopenia transitoria después de 20 fracciones, lo cual requirió de las suspención temporal de la radioterapia. Esta, sin embargo, pudo terminarse sin otros problemas. Después de cinco meses de inicio del tratamiento, el paciente se encuantra sin prueba de actividad tumoral, pero persiste el déficit neurológico causado por la lesión y el tratamiento quirúrgico.