L. Vollrath et al., NO SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC-FIELDS ON THEMAMMALIAN PINEAL-GLAND, Bioelectromagnetics, 18(5), 1997, pp. 376-387
There is ample experimental evidence that changes of earth-strength st
atic magnetic fields, pulsed magnetic fields, or alternating electric
fields (60 Hz) depress the nocturnally enhanced melatonin synthesis of
the pineal gland of certain mammals. No data on the effects of high-f
requency electromagnetic fields on melatonin synthesis is available. I
n the present study, exposure to 900 MHz electromagnetic fields [0.1 t
o 0.6 mW/cm(2), approximately 0.06 to 0.36 W/kg specific absorption ra
te (SAR) in rats and 0.04 W/kg in Djungarian hamsters; both continuous
and/or pulsed at 217 Hz, for 15 min to 6 h] at day or night had no no
table short-term effect on pineal melatonin synthesis in male and fema
le Sprague-Dawley rats and Djungarian hamsters. Pineal synaptic ribbon
profile numbers (studied in rats only) were likewise not affected. Th
e 900 MHz electromagnetic fields, unpulsed or pulsed at 217 Hz, as app
lied in the present study, have no short-term effect on the mammalian
pineal gland. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.