Protective Effect of Vitamin E Against Mobile Phone-Induced Oxidative Stress and Neuronal Injury in Rats

Chronic exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) emitted from mobile phones has raised concerns regarding its potential biological effects on the central nervous system. The present study investigated whether prolonged RF-EMR exposure induces oxidative, neuroendocrine, and neuronal stress in rats, and whether Vitamin E supplementation offers protective effects. Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were divided into control, RF-EMR-exposed, RF-EMR plus Vitamin E-treated, and vehicle control groups. Animals were exposed to mobile phone-emitted RF-EMR (0.9/1.8 GHz) for 1 hour/day over 50 days and supplemented with Vitamin E (100 mg/kg body weight, orally through oral gavage needle). Feed intake and body weight were recorded, while serum malondialdehyde (MDA), corticosterone, and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels were assessed as markers of oxidative stress, neuroendocrine stress, and neuronal injury, respectively. Hippocampal glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression was also evaluated. Compared with control rats, RF-EMR exposure did not significantly alter feed intake or body weight; however, serum MDA, corticosterone, and NSE levels were significantly elevated (p < 0.05). Vitamin E supplementation significantly attenuated these biochemical alterations compared with the RF-EMR group (p < 0.05). GFAP expression in the hippocampal CA3 region showed no significant differences among groups. These findings suggest that chronic RF-EMR exposure induces biochemical and neuronal stress prior to overt behavioral changes, and that Vitamin E provides effective antioxidant and neuroprotective benefits.