No changes in cerebral microcirculatory parameters in rat during local cortex exposure to microwaves

The aim of this study was to determine whether cerebral microcirculatory parameters in rats were modified during local cortex exposure to a radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF) under non-thermal conditions. The cortex tissue targeted was locally exposed to 1439 MHz RF using a figure-8 loop antenna at an averaged specific absorption rate of 2.0 W/kg in the target area for 50 min. Three microcirculatory parameters related to cerebral inflammation were measured by the cranial window method in real-time under RF exposure. No extravasation of intravenously injected fluorescent dye was observed during RF exposure. There was no significant difference either in pial venule blood flow velocity or diameter between exposed and sham-exposed rats. Histological evaluation for the brain immediately after RF exposure did not reveal any serum albumin leakage sites or degenerate neurons. These findings suggest that no dynamic changes occurred in cerebral microcirculation even during local cortex exposure under these conditions.