Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

The developmental effects of extremely low frequency electric fields on visual and somatosensory evoked potentials in adult rats med./bio.

Published in: Electromagn Biol Med 2016; 35 (1): 65-74

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The effects of prenatal and/or postnatal exposure of rats to a 50 Hz electric field on evoked potentials and lipid peroxidation in the brain and retina should be investigated.

Background/further details

Pregnant rats were divided into four groups: 1) prenatal exposure to the electric field and postnatal sham exposure, 2) prenatal sham exposure and postnatal exposure, 3) prenatal and postnatal exposure and 4) only sham exposure (control group). After 22 days, young animals were separated from their mothers and after further 68 days, they were killed and investigated. Each group included 10 female rats which were taken from 10 mothers.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: daily for 1 hour/day every during pregnancy
Exposure 2: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: daily for 1 hour/day for 90 days after birth
Exposure 3: 50 Hz
Exposure duration: daily for 1 hour/day during pregnancy and for 90 days after birth

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration daily for 1 hour/day every during pregnancy
Additional info prenatal exposure
Exposure setup
Exposure source
  • parallel plate capacitor
Chamber plastic cage (42.5 cm x 26.5 cm x 18.5 cm)
Setup plate capacitor consisted of parallel copper plates (50 x 80 cm) plated with zinc (2 mm thickness); in order to produce uniform field, the comers of parallel plates were rounded; plates were placed upright on wooden stands and positioned parallel to each other at 50 cm distance; cables were connected to the center of the plates on their outer surfaces to preserve field homogeneity; the plastic cage was placed in the center between the two plates at equal distance; four animals in one cage were exposed at one time and could move freely
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
electric field strength 11.7 kV/m minimum measured - -
electric field strength 11.89 kV/m maximum measured - -

Exposure 2

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration daily for 1 hour/day for 90 days after birth
Additional info postnatal exposure
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
electric field strength 11.7 kV/m minimum measured - -
electric field strength 11.89 kV/m maximum measured - -

Exposure 3

Main characteristics
Frequency 50 Hz
Type
Exposure duration daily for 1 hour/day during pregnancy and for 90 days after birth
Additional info prenatal and postnatal exposure
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
electric field strength 11.7 kV/m minimum measured - -
electric field strength 11.89 kV/m maximum measured - -

Reference articles

  • Aydin MA et al. (2006): The influence of continuous exposure to 50 Hz electric field on nerve regeneration in a rat peroneal nerve crush injury model

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

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

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The latencies of all visual evoked potential components in all exposure groups (groups 1-3) were significantly prolonged compared to the control group. No differences in amplitudes were found between the groups.
For somatosensory evoked potentials, all potential components of group 3 (prenatal and postnatal exposure), 3 components of group 2 (postnatal exposure) and 2 components of group 1 (prenatal exposure) were significantly delayed compared to the control group. Moreover, group 3 showed significantly increased amplitude peak-to-peak values of potential components compared to the control group.
Lipid peroxidation in the brain was significantly increased in groups 1 and 2 compared to the control group. In the retina, lipid peroxidation was significantly increased in all exposure groups compared to the control group.
No differences in general health and body weight were found between animals of all groups.
The authors conclude that prenatal and/or postnatal exposure of rats to a 50 Hz electric field might influence evoked potentials. Lipid peroxidation in the brain and retina might be associated with this effect.

Study character:

Study funded by

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