INFLUENCE OF MICROWAVE EXPOSURE ON CHLORDIAZEPOXIDE EFFECTS IN THE MOUSE STAIRCASE TEST

To ascertain whether behavioral effects of benzodiazepines are altered by exposure to microwave radiation, we compared the performance of ma le, Swiss CD1 mice in the staircase test 30 min after pretreatment wit h chlordiazepoxide (8, 16, and 32 mg/kg, IP) and immediately following a 5-min exposure to microwave radiation (4, 12, and 36 W/kg, continuo us wave, 1.8 or 4.7 GHz). In this paradigm, chlordiazepoxide reduction in the number of rears (NR) and number of steps ascended (NSA) is pos tulated to reflect anxiolytic and sedative drug effects, respectively. In sham-exposed mice, increasing doses of chlordiazepoxide increased NSA without affecting NR, increased NSA and decreased NR, then decreas ed both NSA and NR. Microwave exposure generally did not alter NSA or NR in mice pretreated with lower doses of chlordiazepoxide. However, i n mice pretreated with 32 mg/kg chlordiazepoxide, exposure to 36 W/kg microwave radiation significantly reversed the reductions in NSA and N R at 4.7 GHz but not at 1.8 GHz. These findings indicate that exposure to microwave radiation can selectively alter effects of chlordiazepox ide in this psychopharmacological paradigm.