New
studyMobile Phone Exposure Causes Brain Damage in Rats
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Brandon Adams
(919-653-2585)
29 January 2003
[RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC] A study published today
in the online edition of the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health
Perspectives (EHP) found for the first time that electromagnetic fields
(EMFs) emitted by certain mobile phones damaged neurons in the brains
of rats.
The researchers studied 12- to 26-week-old rats because
their developmental age is comparable to that of human teenagers, who
are some of the heaviest users of mobile phones. "The situation of
the growing brain might deserve special concern," the study authors
wrote, "since biological and maturational processes are particularly
vulnerable. We cannot exclude that after some decades of often daily use,
a whole generation of users may suffer negative effects as early as middle
age."
Three groups of rats were exposed for 2 hours to GSM
mobile phone EMFs of different strengths. GSM, which stands for Global
System for Mobile Communications, is the main standard for mobile phones
used in Europe, as well as in many countries in the Middle East and Asia.
GSM is one of several standards by which mobile phones in the United States
operate.
The study found that EMF exposure was associated with
leakage of albumin through the blood-brain barrier and neuronal damage
that increased in response to the amount of exposure. The authors acknowledged
that the study sample was small, but stated that "the combined results
are highly significant and exhibit a clear dose-response relation."
Earlier EMF studies have focused on whether exposure
might cause cancer, with some studies finding increased risk but most
showing no effects or even decreased risk.
"Scientists have been looking for some time at
the possible effects of exposure to the energy coming out of cell phones,"
says Dr. Jim Burkhart, science editor for Environmental Health Perspectives.
"These scientists decided to look in a new place, studying potential
nerve damage, rather than cancer growth. Their results suggest a strong
need for further study as we all rely on cell phones more and more."
The study team was headed by Leif G. Salford of the
Department of Neurosurgery at Lund University in Sweden. Other authors
include Arne E. Brun, Jacob L. Eberhardt, Lars Malmgren, and Bertil R.R.
Persson. The study will appear in a future print issue of EHP. EHP is
the journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences,
part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. More information
is available online at http://www.ehponline.org/.
Editor's note: A full copy of the report is available
by fax or e-mail (PDF format) to media at no charge. Go to www.ehponline.org/press,
call 919-653-2585, or e-mail adams6@niehs.nih.gov
.
Study format PDF:
* Salford, Leif G.; Brun, Arne E.; Eberhardt, Jacob L; Malmgren, Lars;
Persson, Bertil R.R.:
Nerve Cell Damage in Mammalian Brain after Exposure
to Microwaves from GSM Mobile Phones (format pdf, 319 kb)
Informant: JNewton at EMRNetwork
How even very weak electric
and magnetic fields can affect cells...
Hello and congratullations for your active stand. I
think the scientific community has not yet realized that there is now
a theory that explains how even very weak electric and magnetic fields
(of the order of 3mV/m ,or 1G correspondingly) can affect cells and organisms
by Non-Thermal mechanism.
This theory is published in two papers already: Panagopoulos
D.J., Messini N., Karabarbounis A., Filippetis A.L., and Margaritis L.H.,
(2000), A Mechanism for Action of Oscillating Electric Fields on Cells,
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 272(3), 634-640.
Panagopoulos D.J. Karabarbounis A. and Margaritis L.H.,
(2002), Mechanism for Action of Electromagnetic Fields on Cells, Biochemical
and Biophysical Research Communications, 298(1), 95-102.
The theory is considered as the only proposed mechanism
that has no deficiencies. [See: Creasey W.A. and Goldberg R.B., (2001),
A new twist on an old mechanism for EMF bioeffects?, EMF Health Report,
9 (2), 1-11].
Also there is another review paper just published,
describing serious effects of GSM mobile phone's field on insects' reproductive
capacity:
Panagopoulos D.J. and Margaritis L.H., 2003, Effects
of electromagnetic fields on the reproductive capacity of Drosophila melanogaster,
In: Stavroulakis P. (Ed.) "Biological Effects of Electromagnetic
Fields", Springer-Verlag.
Best regards
Dr Dimitris J.Panagopoulos
Department of Cell Biology & Biophysics. Faculty of Biology. University
of Athens
15784 Athens. Greece
CONCLUSIONS DAY OF TELEFONIA
AND CENTRAL SCHOOL . VALLADOLID (25
-1-2003)
1.- The recommendation dated 12 of July from 1999 of
the Counsel of the European Union published in the Daily Official of the
European Communities dated 30-7-99 says in its 4º Considering the
following thing: Is absolutely necessary the protection of the citizens
of the Community against the harmful effects for the health that is known
can result of the exposition to electromagnetic fields.
2.- The Informative Note nº 5/2001 of the General
Direction of Investigation of the European Parliament of February of 2001
indicates in its section 2 the wounds that can produce the electromagnetic
fields: modification of the metabolism, changes of the hormonal activity,
to modify the synthesis of the genetic material, to alter the conduct
of the cancerous cells, to stimulate the liberation of histamina and to
alter the concentrations of calcium, among others.
3.- The problems arisen in whole Europe in relation
to the mobile phone system shows that the most maximum levels of chosen
emission are not adequate to protect the health of the citizens.
4.- We are conscious that the official information
does not include several realities:
- The electromagnetic contamination is real,
as well as its giddy increase.
- The companies of insurances exclude in their policies
the cover of damages to the health of them affected. With a potential
volume of so important market has there to be serious reasons to do
not do it. We should think that the Companies insurance companies negotiate
with more care its capital that our authorities the health of the citizens?
- The medical literature collects and recognizes
concentrations of cancer in three different environmental situations:
the ones that have been produced in zones of radioactivity or next to
nuclear installations, the once produced next to industrial installations
with substances as the asbestos or amianto and the ones that have been
produced next to antennae of telecommunications: 327 cases of leukemia
in Birmingham or 40 cases of leukemia in adults and 8 in children in
the Vatican outskirts of Radio are only two of them. In Spain not only
in Valladolid childlike concentrations of cancer next to antennae of
phone system have been produced. It patrols with at least 13 cases.
- The limits of exposition set in the laws are very
different according to countries, communities, cities and towns. Evidently
this it is not a good sign of security, keeping in mind that is the
motive by the one that the limits have set. On the other hand, in the
places with more restrictive legislations the mobile phone system functions
without problems.
- Not to stop it being significant in relation
to the demonstrations that are done about that has not been shown the
shamefulness of the electromagnetic radiation that in the year 99 the
88,15% of the investigations on the effects of the electromagnetic fields
was financed by the operators.
5.- The State at this time protects more as for the
use of the radio public space to the operators that to the citizens that
in many cases are seen affected.
Companies signatories:
- Association Vallisoletana of affected by antennae
of Telecommunications AVAATE
- Mothers Associations Confederacy and Parents of
Central Public of Valladolid FAPAVA
- Students Parents Associations Confederacy of Valladolid
FAPA
- Mothers Associations Confederation and Parents of
Castille and Leon CONFAPACAL
- Students Parents Associations Confederation of Castille
and Leon CONFAPACYL
- Association of affected of the Public School Garcia
Quintana of Valladolid
- Confederacy of Neighbors and Consumers of
Valladolid
Message from Alfonso Balmori, translation
Spanish-English Omega
|