Vitamin C Improves Passive Avoidance Learning and Memory in Rats Exposed to Radiofrequency Waves Generated by a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) Antenna Model

Hazardous health effects of the exposure to radiofrequency waves (RFWs) have become of great public concern and impaired memory has been reported following the exposure to electromagnetic radiations. As the deleterious effects of the RFW on passive avoidance learning and memory had already been reported, the aim of this study was to evaluate the prophylactic effect of vitamin C on this activity. 20 male Sprague-Dawley rats (230 ± 20 g) were divided randomly into four groups as: control, control-exposed (exposed to 900 MHz RFW), control treatment (without exposure to RFW receiving 250 mg/kg of body weight/day L-ascorbic acid by gavage), and treatment (exposed to 900MHz RFW receiving the abovementioned dose of vitamin C) groups. The exposure was performed for 30 consecutive days (4 h/day). Learning and memory were evaluated in the last day by the shuttle box and expressed as the period of remaining within the light area; this time was called “light time”. The exposure to RFW significantly decreased the duration of light time in the control-exposed group compared to the other three groups (P < 0.05). In the fourth group, vitamin C significantly increased the light time compared to the control-exposed group (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed between control, control treatment, and treatment groups. Exposure to RFW significantly altered the passive avoidance behavior. Vitamin C probably due to its antioxidant effects has facilitative results on the acquisition and retrieval activities of passive avoidance learning and memory in rats.