Effects of microwave radiation on the vitality of isolated frog sciatic nerves

Journal Article · Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980 · Radiat. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3575320· OSTI ID:5023666

McRee, D I ^[1]; Wachtel, H

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1. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC

Isolated frog sciatic nerves were exposed to 2.45-GHz CW microwave radiation in a waveguide exposure system. The nerves were exposed to specific absorption rates (SARs) ranging from 0 to 100 mW/g. The effect of the microwaves on vitality of the nerves was measured in terms of the ability of the nerves to sustain a high firing rate over prolonged periods without suffering appreciable changes in the characteristics of the compound action potential (CAP). The nerves were stimulated using twin pulses separated by a 5-msec interval at a repetition rate of 50 pulses/sec. For SARs equal to or greater than 10 mW/g, the exposed nerves first underwent a prolongation of their refractory period and, later in the exposure, severe decreases in the maximal CAP. Although the time at which changes began to occur differed in each pair of nerves due to normal biological differences in nerves from different frogs, a prolongation of their refractory period and decrease in the second CAP usually were observable after 20 to 30 min of exposure. These effects appear to be microwave specific since they occurred when temperature was held constant but not when an increase in temperature without microwave was produced. The effects were also irreversible since the nerves did not revitalize or increase their activity on termination of exposure. No significant effects on vitality of the nerves were observed for an SAR of 5 mW/g in this series of experiments.

• OSTI ID: 5023666
• Journal Information: Radiat. Res.; (United States), Vol. 82:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
MICROWAVE RADIATION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
SCIATIC NERVE
SENSITIVITY
FROGS
PHYSIOLOGY
PULSES
RADIATION DOSES
REFLEXES
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TIME DEPENDENCE
AMPHIBIANS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
DOSES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
NERVES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
RADIATIONS
VERTEBRATES
560400* - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
551000 - Physiological Systems