Morphological Effects of Mobile Phone Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields on Cortical Neurons in Developing Rats: A Histological Assessment

The widespread use of mobile phones has prompted concerns about the potential neurobiological effects of chronic radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure, particularly during critical periods of brain development. Despite extensive public debate, the histological evidence on cortical neuronal morphology following developmental radiofrequency exposure in animal models remains inconsistent. This study aims to evaluate the morphological effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure from a standard GSM 900 MHz mobile phone simulator on cortical neurons in developing rats during the perinatal period. Pregnant Wistar rats will be exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields at a specific absorption rate of 0.4 and 2.0 watts per kilogram for two hours daily throughout gestation and the first three postnatal weeks. At postnatal day 21, pups will be sacrificed and prefrontal and motor cortical sections prepared for histological evaluation. Neuronal density, nuclear area, and cell layer thickness will be quantified stereologically. The study anticipates contributing to ongoing debates on the safety of perinatal mobile phone exposure by providing histological evidence from a standardised experimental model. Findings will be contextualised within the broader literature on developmental neurotoxicity and electromagnetic field exposure.

Keywords: radiofrequency, cortical neurons, histology, perinatal exposure, mobile phone