The aim of this work was to study behavioral patterns in response to the influence of cell phones. The experiments were carried out on 90 white outbred rats weighing 250-300 g. Experiments were carried out and the effect of EMR from Samsung Galaxy J1 mini and Xiaomi Redmi S2 phones on animal behavior was studied. Behavioral reactions were studied using the open field method.

Study design

Experimental animals were divided into three groups.

• The first group (n=30) of the control group did not receive a dose of EMR
• The second group (n=30) was exposed  to the Samsung Galaxy J1 Mini cell phone for 10 min, every 10 min
• The third group (n=30) was exposed to the cell phone Xiaomi Redmi S2 for 10 min, every 10 min
• The total exposure time was 8 h in silent mode.

The animals were placed in the center of the field, racks and locomotion (at the intersection of the applied lines) were visually recorded for 2 min.

The following indicators were recorded and taken into account:

• Motor activity: The number of squares crossed by a rat with four paws.
• Vertical activity: The number of hind legs lifts.
• Grooming (the number of acts of “washing”).
• Defecation and urination: The number of fecal pellets and urine droplets deposited for the experiment.

RESULTS:

“Immobility is seen in all experimental groups, which indicates the suppression of the emotional sphere of brain activity. Defecation and urination change only slightly, which may also indicate the suppression of animal emotions.”

“The act of grooming in the second group of animals increased in the number of acts committed by 350% (p<0.01), and the duration of the act in this group was 97% (p<0.05) above the data of the first group. In the third group of animals, the act of grooming was 450% higher in the number (p<0.05), 53.37% in duration (p<0.05) higher than the data of the control group.”

“In the second group, the act of immobility was increased in quantity by 333% (p<0.01) and in duration was higher by 587.5% (p<0.05). In the third group, the act of immobility in quantity is 33% higher and in duration higher by 162.5% (p<0.001) than in the first group. All these changes in the act of immobility indicate the suppression of the motor activity of animals when exposed to EMR from Samsung Galaxy phones J1 Mini and Xiaomi Redmi S2.”

“Acts of defecation in the third group in time were 50% higher than in the first group. The act of urination in experimental animals was weak in both the control and experimental groups of animals.”

This study is open access.

Sultangaliyeva I, Beisenova R, Tazitdinova R, Abzhalelov A, Khanturin M. The influence of electromagnetic radiation of cell phones on the behavior of animals. Vet World. 2020;13(3):549‐555. doi:10.14202/vetworld.2020.549-555