# WEB-052 — 3.5 GHz: oxidative and apoptotic responses in sensory neurons

Why this matters
Peripheral sensory neurons carry information from the body to the nervous system. This study reports that prolonged exposure affected their survival and mitochondrial-apoptotic signalling. It is relevant to investigating neuronal susceptibility, but cannot by itself explain a person’s symptoms.

Id: WEB-052

Author: Bektas et al.

Full Authors: Hava Bektas; Ayse Seker; Ramazan Ustun; Semih Dogu

Year: 2026

Title: Neurotoxic effects of 3.5 GHz GSM-like RF exposure on cultured DRG neurons: a mechanistic insight into oxidative and apoptotic pathways

Journal: International journal of radiation biology

Citation: Hava Bektas; Ayse Seker; Ramazan Ustun; Semih Dogu. Neurotoxic effects of 3.5 GHz GSM-like RF exposure on cultured DRG neurons: a mechanistic insight into oxidative and apoptotic pathways. International journal of radiation biology. 2026. doi:10.1080/09553002.2026.2617592.

Doi: 10.1080/09553002.2026.2617592

Pmid: 41562640

Topic: Sensory-neuron excitability; Neuronal oxidative and apoptotic responses; 3.5 GHz cellular experiments

Verification Group: Original abstract reviewed

Record Role: Original abstract reviewed

Featured: False

Exposure: 3.5 GHz GSM-like pulses, 217 Hz, approximately 12.5% duty; 1–24 h. Abstract reports 37°C with <0.1°C between-group difference; numerical SAR not supplied.

Design: Primary mouse dorsal-root-ganglion cultures in a GTEM setup; blinded imaging of viability, ROS and apoptotic markers.

Finding: Viability decreased and ROS, Bax, caspase-3 and cytochrome-c responses increased, especially at 12–24 h; Bcl-2 decreased.

Statistics: See the original results; effect sizes were not independently recalculated.

Boundary: Original abstract only; complete dose and methods unverified. GSM-like modulation is explicitly not 5G NR. No human clinical or hypersensitivity mechanism is established.

Related: Bektas sensory-neuron programme; author overlap alone does not establish independent replication.

Protection Question: Which exposure conditions reproduce this finding, and what would establish its relevance beyond the experimental model?

Access: Original abstract and bibliographic identity reviewed; full methods, dosimetry and statistics not audited.

Locator: Original abstract

Notice: Linked Europe PMC/PubMed notice fields checked 21 October 2026; no correction/retraction surfaced for this record. Publisher/citation screening is not exhaustive.

Funding: Not established from the retrieved original abstract.

Conflicts: Not established from the retrieved original abstract.

Source Url: https://doi.org/10.1080/09553002.2026.2617592

Retrieval Links: https://doi.org/10.1080/09553002.2026.2617592 | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41562640/

Verification Date: 2026-10-21

Discovery Id: TARGETED-20261021-25

Technology Tracks: 5g

Technology Connection: Relevant carrier-frequency research; the record distinguishes actual 5G modulation from other laboratory waveforms.

Publication Type: Original journal research

Study Setting: Cells / isolated tissue

Browse Categories: brain|cells