RF-028Original text reviewed

Delayed albumin leakage, with a specific significant exposure comparison

Nittby et al. · 2009 · Pathophysiology

The reported finding

At 7 days, focal albumin leakage occurred in 25% of exposed versus 0% sham rats (Fisher exact p=0.04); five-group score comparison p=0.012. The 12 mW/kg comparison was significant (p=0.007); 0.12 and 120 mW/kg were trends (p=0.1). Neuronal albumin uptake differed globally (p=0.03) and at 1.2 mW/kg versus sham (p=0.02). Dark-neuron occurrence did not differ.

Reading it carefully

Original article-in-press proof reviewed. These are BBB/albumin endpoints, without increased dark-neuron pathology at 7 days. Trends are not significant findings. No claim of human-limit compliance from rat whole-body SAR.

Inside the study

Exposure conditions

GSM-900; 2 h in TEM cells; whole-body SAR sham, 0.12, 1.2, 12, 120 mW/kg; 7-day recovery.

Design & controls

48 male/female Fischer 344 rats aged 2-3 months: 8/group at four active levels, 16 sham. Awake, movable; 7-day recovery; perfusion fixation, albumin immunohistochemistry/cresyl-violet; pathologist blinded; ordinal scoring. Brain-SAR orientation variability 56% standard deviation around mean.

Related research & shared cohorts

Same Lund research programme as RF-020 and RF-027; separate 7-day experiment, not the 14/28-day animals.

The protection question raised

Is the delayed barrier change reproducible, and does it affect brain function? Passage of a blood protein into tissue is distinct from neuronal injury; dark neurons did not increase here.

Source verification

Original 10-page article-in-press proof hosted by California Council on Science and Technology; methods, results and funding reviewed

Where to find the result

Proof pp.5-7 sections 3.1-3.4 and 4; p.8 Acknowledgements; final pp.103-112

Editorial notices

Scite metadata checked 20 Oct 2026; no editorial notice returned. Primary bibliographic records and targeted notices were checked where retrievable; no retraction or expression of concern located. This is not certification that no notice exists.

Funding

Hans and Märit Rausing Charitable Foundation (proof p.8).

Conflicts of interest

No competing-interest declaration located in original proof; no inference.

Original publication

Nittby H, Brun A, Eberhardt J, Malmgren L, Persson BRR, Salford LG. Increased blood-brain barrier permeability in mammalian brain 7 days after exposure to the radiation from a GSM-900 mobile phone. Pathophysiology. 2009;16(2-3):103-112. doi:10.1016/j.pathophys.2009.01.001.

Plain-text record