Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effects of exposure to an extremely low frequency electromagnetic field on hippocampal long-term potentiation in rat med./bio.

Published in: Brain Res 2014; 1564: 1-8

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To investigate the effects of an extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure on the synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus of rats.

Background/further details

Three groups of rats were examined: 1.) magnetic field exposure (n=10), 2.) sham exposure (n=9) and 3.) cage control (n=10).
At the end of the exposure period, rats were anesthetized and a stimulating electrode and a recording electrode were inserted in the brain of the rats. Stimulation was performed using a stimulation protocol of 400 Hz (10 bursts of 20 stimuli, 0.2 ms duration).

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: 2 hours/day for 3 month

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Waveform
Exposure duration 2 hours/day for 3 month
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Setup solenoid coil with length of 2 m, radius 20 cm and 100 turns/meter; diameter of copper wire 2 mm; adjustable resistance curcuit was connected to the power source to generate electric and magnetic field
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 100 µT - measured - -

Reference articles

  • Salehi I et al. (2013): Exposure of rats to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) alters cytokines production

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Investigated organ system:
Time of investigation:
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

In exposed rats, the excitatory postsynaptic potential slope and the compound action potential were significantly higher in comparison to the sham exposure and the cage control group. No significant differences were observed between the sham exposure and the cage control.
No significant difference in the paired-pulse ratio of the magnetic field exposed rats was observed before and after the stimulation.
The authors conclude that extremely low frequency magnetic fields may change the synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus of rats.

Study character:

Study funded by

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