An experimental analysis of an observing-response in rats exposed to 1. 28 and 5. 62 gHz microwave irradiation
Few studies of the biological effects of microwave irradiation have investigated complex behavior in non-human organisms. One human behavior easily simulated in other animals is monitoring performance, otherwise known as observing-behavior or performance on a vigilance task. This task requires an animal to respond, thereby producing one or more stimuli. When the stimuli change, the animal has to report the change to obtain a reinforcer. In the present study the effects of two different microwave frequencies (1.28 and 5.62 GHz) on observing-behavior in rats were investigated. At 1.28 GHz the observing-response rate was consistently affected at a power density of 15 mW/sq cm in all eight rats while at 5.62 GHz the observing-response rate was not consistently affected until the power density approximated 26 mW/sq cm. Measures of the averaged specific absorption rate (SAR) in a rat model of simulated muscle tissue illustrated a distribution difference at the two different frequencies. The SAR distribution within the model's head at 1.28 GHz was the inverse of the distribution in the head at 5.62 GHz. It was concluded that the rat's behavior was more easily disrupted at 1.28 GHz than at 5.62 GHz because of the deeper penetration of energy at 1.28 GHz and differences in energy distribution at the two frequencies.
- Research Organization:
- Naval Aerospace Medical Inst., Pensacola, FL (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5004409
- Report Number(s):
- AD-A-080928
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
FREQUENCY DEPENDENCE
MICROWAVE RADIATION
RATS
BEHAVIOR
BIOLOGICAL MODELS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ENERGY DEPENDENCE
HZ RANGE
MUSCLES
SIMULATION
ANIMALS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FREQUENCY RANGE
MAMMALS
RADIATIONS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
560400* - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
550100 - Behavioral Biology