Effects of 860 MHz electromagnetic radiation on dual task eyeblink conditioning in guinea pigs / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the effects of 860 MHz microwave radiation on an established dual task model of trace and delay eyeblink conditioning in guinea pigs.Methods Twenty-four guinea pigs with an established dual task model of trace and delay eyeblink conditioning were assigned randomly into four groups a microwave-exposed 1 h group, a microwave-exposed 20 min group, a sham-exposed group and a normal control group.The guinea pigs in the 1 h and 20 min groups were irradiated on the head daily for 3 days using 860 MHz electromagnetic radiation at a power density of 1 mW/cm2 for 1 h and for 20 min, respectively. After radiation the guinea pigs were trained with classical dual task eyeblink conditioning.Results Compared with the normal control group, the behavioral parameters (acquisition rate and peak amplitude of trace and delay eyeblink) of guinea pigs in the microwave-exposed 1 h group had decreased significantly with no obvious change in latency. The behavioral parameters of guinea pigs in the microwave-exposed 20 min group, the sham-exposed group and the normal control group showed no obvious change.Conclusions Microwave radiation at 860 MHz and 1.0 mW/cm2 for 1 h can cause changes in dual trace and delay eyeblink conditioning in guinea pigs and decrease learning and memory capacity.