Behavioral response of rats exposed to high-power microwave radiation. Interim report, September 1986-January 1987

Emerging high-power microwave technologies require that bioeffects of exposure to this type of radiation be investigated for health and safety considerations. Disruption of animal behavior is reported to be a sensitive indicator of microwave exposure. Three behavioral tasks were chosen for this initial investigation of exposure to U.S. Air Force high-power microwave emitters. The tasks were: (1) single-trail avoidance, (2) water satiation, and (3) rotarod performance. Exposure to high-power microwave radiation from the USAFSAM peak-power simulator significantly affected the single-trail avoidance task. Neither the single-trail avoidance task nor rotarod performance was affected by the Gypsy emitter. However, animals exposed to 9-kW and 11-kW outputs from the USAFSAM emitter spent significantly less time imbibing water postexposure than sham-exposed animals. The most consistent finding in the animals exposed to the Gypsy pulses was that those exposed at 4 m (13.1 ft) spent significantly less time drinking water than those exposed at 1 m (3.28 ft). This paradoxical result may be due to the complex shape of the Gypsy pulse. These data are from the first studies in a series of bioeffects studies of high-power microwave exposure. Other bioeffects investigations using these sources are under way.