Rate Effects in Isolated Hearts Induced by Microwave Irradiation (Short Papers)

Continuous 960-MHz microwave irradiation of isolated poikilothermic hearts in Ringer's solution causes bradycardia, in contrast to the tachycardia usually produced by generalized heating. The effect appears to occur only over a narrow power range in the neighborhood of an estimated 3 mW absorbed by the heart. It is hypothesized that the bradycardia is produced by stimulation of the nerve remnants in the heart.