Percherancier Y et al. · 2015
Researchers used fluorescence recovery after photobleaching microscopy to measure dye diffusion between NIH3T3 fibroblasts through gap junctions. They exposed cells to 50 Hz magnetic fields at 0.4 or 1 mT for 24 hours and assessed direct effects on gap junctional intercellular communication. They also tested for synergism with the inhibitor phorbol ester by incubating cells with TPA for 1 hour after 24 hours of magnetic field exposure. Under these conditions, they observed neither direct inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication nor synergism with TPA-induced inhibition.
He YL, Liu DD, Fang YJ, Zhan XQ, Yao JJ, Mei YA. · 2013
Researchers investigated the effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on sodium channel activity in rat cerebellar granule cells. Exposing the cells to ELF-EMF for 10–60 minutes significantly increased sodium currents by 30–125% in a time- and intensity-dependent manner. Increases in intracellular arachidonic acid, prostaglandin E2, and phosphorylated PKA levels were observed in the cells following ELF-EMF exposure. The data demonstrated for the first time that neuronal sodium currents are significantly increased by ELF-EMF exposure via a cPLA2, arachidonic acid, prostaglandin E2, EP receptors, and PKA signaling pathway.
Chen G, Lu D, Chiang H, Leszczynski D, Xu Z · 2012
Researchers exposed yeast cells to both 50 Hz magnetic fields and 1800 MHz radiofrequency radiation to see if electromagnetic fields could change gene activity. They found that magnetic fields caused no confirmed gene changes, while radiofrequency exposure affected only 2-5 genes out of thousands tested. This suggests that EMF effects on basic cellular processes may be more limited than some studies indicate.
Mahmoudinasab H, Saadat M. · 2018
Researchers tested four treatment combinations on MCF-7 and SH-SY5Y cells: cisplatin alone, cisplatin with morin, cisplatin with electromagnetic field, and cisplatin combined with both morin and electromagnetic field. The electromagnetic field was applied at 50 Hz and 0.50 mT using a cycle of 15 minutes field-on followed by 15 minutes field-off. The IC50 value of cisplatin in the cisplatin-plus-morin-plus-EMF treatment was significantly higher than cisplatin alone and the cisplatin-plus-morin treatment in both cell lines. In SH-SY5Y cells, most of the antioxidant genes showed upregulation with the cisplatin-plus-EMF and cisplatin-plus-morin-plus-EMF treatments, while antioxidant gene expression patterns were similar across the four treatments in MCF-7 cells.
Mahmoudinasab H, Saadat M. · 2018
Researchers measured the effects of morphine and EMF, in combination with β-lapachone, on cell growth inhibition and expression of antioxidant genes in SH-SY5Y cells. The study used 0.50 mT intensity of 50 Hz EMF under two exposure conditions: "15 min field-on/15 min field-off" and "30 min field-on continuously." Under the "15 min field-on/15 min field-off" condition, NQO1 mRNA level decreased while NQO2 expression increased. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that NQO1 mRNA levels were associated positively with β-lapachone and negatively with EMF.
Nakayama M, Nakamura A, Hondou T, Miyata H · 2016
Researchers measured DNA single-strand breaks, cell viability, and nitric oxide production in macrophage RAW264 cells exposed to a 0.5-mT, 50-Hz magnetic field for 24 hours with or without LPS stimulation. The magnetic field alone did not alter nitric oxide production. The combined effect of LPS and magnetic field was not mediated by LPS-induced nitric oxide production.
Hu Y et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed genetically modified mice with Alzheimer's disease to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (50Hz, 500μT) for three months daily. The magnetic field exposure improved cognitive function, reduced brain cell death, and decreased tau protein abnormalities that are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. This suggests that controlled magnetic field exposure might have therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative conditions.
Hu Y et al. · 2016
Madjid Ansari A et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed mice to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (the type generated by power lines and electrical appliances) to study effects on depression-like behavior. They found that short-term exposure (2 hours) had no effect, but long-term exposure (2 hours daily for 2 weeks) actually reduced depressive symptoms in the mice. The study suggests this effect may work through changes in nitric oxide levels in the brain.
Ansari AM et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed male adult NMRI mice to an extremely low frequency magnetic field at 0.5 mT and 50 Hz, either as a single 2-hour session or for 2 hours a day over 2 weeks. Depressive-like behavior was measured using the Forced Swimming Test, which records immobility time. Long-term exposure significantly reduced immobility time, while short-term exposure did not alter it.
Ansari AM et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed mice to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (the type emitted by power lines and electrical devices) for either 2 hours once or 2 hours daily for 2 weeks. They found that long-term exposure reduced depression-like behavior in the mice, while short-term exposure interfered with antidepressant medications. This suggests that chronic EMF exposure may alter brain chemistry and affect how psychiatric medications work.
Lewicka M et al. · 2015
Rauš Balind S, Selaković V, Radenović L, Prolić Z, Janać B. · 2014
Researchers studied whether an extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF, 50 Hz, 0.5 mT) affects oxidative stress in the brains of gerbils submitted to 10-min global cerebral ischemia. After occlusion of both carotid arteries, 3-month-old gerbils were continuously exposed to ELF-MF for 7 days, and oxidative stress markers were measured in the forebrain cortex, striatum and hippocampus. Ischemic gerbils exposed to ELF-MF showed increased oxidative stress on the 7th day after reperfusion, but to a lesser extent than ischemic or ELF-MF-exposed animals alone, and by the 14th day their oxidative stress parameters were mostly at control levels. The results indicate a beneficial effect of ELF-MF (50 Hz, 0.5 mT) in the model of global cerebral ischemia.
Li C, Xie M, Luo F, He C, Wang J, Tan G, Hu Z. · 2014
Researchers investigated the effects of 14 and 28 days of exposure to a 50 Hz, 0.5 mT extremely low-frequency magnetic field on glutamate receptor subunit expressions and spatial learning and memory in rats. The exposure changed NMDAR and AMPAR subunit levels in the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and prefrontal cortex in ways that differed by brain region and duration. Despite these receptor changes, neither 14 nor 28 days of exposure affected the rats' spatial reference memory as assessed by water maze.
Dimitrijević D, Savić T, Anđelković M, Prolić Z, Janać B. · 2014
Researchers exposed Drosophila subobscura at different developmental stages to an extremely low frequency magnetic field (50 Hz, 0.5 mT) for 48 hours. The magnetic field shortened developmental time and increased viability, while sex ratio was unaffected. Regardless of which developmental stage was exposed, the magnetic field significantly decreased locomotor activity in adult flies. When just-eclosed adults were exposed, the observed reduction in locomotor activity lasted longer than in other exposure groups.
Seifirad S et al. · 2014
Single exposure significantly increased lipid peroxidation and also increased antioxidant serum activity, including HDL, paraoxonase activity, and serum total antioxidant capacity. Chronic exposure increased lipid peroxidation, affected the antioxidant system, and led to irreversible changes, while acute exposure tended toward reversible alterations. The researchers noted that antioxidant capability was dependent on the duration and continuity of ELF-MF exposure.
Rauš Balind S, Selaković V, Radenović L, Prolić Z, Janać B · 2014
Researchers exposed gerbils to power line frequency magnetic fields after stroke-like brain damage. The magnetic field exposure helped reduce brain oxidative stress caused by the stroke, with stress levels returning nearly to normal by day 14, suggesting potential protective effects against brain injury.
Dimitrijević D, Savić T, Anđelković M, Prolić Z, Janać B. · 2014
Researchers exposed fruit flies to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as power lines) at 0.5 milliTesla for 48 hours and tracked their development and behavior. The magnetic field exposure shortened development time, increased survival rates, but significantly reduced the flies' movement and activity levels. This study demonstrates that extremely low frequency magnetic fields can alter both biological development and nervous system function in living organisms.
Xiong J, He C, Li C, Tan G, Li J, Yu Z, Hu Z, Chen F. · 2013
Researchers exposed rats to magnetic fields from power lines for up to 28 days and found significant damage to brain cell connections in areas controlling memory and navigation. These structural changes to nerve cells could explain cognitive problems linked to EMF exposure.
Xiong J, He C, Li C, Tan G, Li J, Yu Z, Hu Z, Chen F. · 2013
Researchers exposed rats to a 0.5 mT 50 Hz extremely low-frequency magnetic field for 14 and 28 days and then used Golgi staining to examine dendritic spines in the superficial layers of the medial entorhinal cortex. Exposure reduced spine density in stellate neurons and the basal dendrites of pyramidal neurons at both time points, largely due to loss of thin and branched spines. Reduced spine density in the apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons was only observed at 28 days, reflecting distinct vulnerability of spines in the apical and basal dendrites.
Balassa T et al. · 2013
Researchers exposed rats to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (0.5 and 3 mT, 50 Hz) during two critical periods of brain development: in utero during the second gestation week, or as newborns for 7 days starting 3 days after birth. Basic excitability of hippocampal slices was increased by both the fetal 0.5 mT and the newborn 3 mT treatments. Fetal exposure significantly inhibited paired-pulse depression and significantly decreased the efficacy of long-term potentiation induction in the neocortex, but not in the hippocampus. Neonatal treatment had no significant effect on plasticity phenomena.
Rauš S et al. · 2013
Researchers studied whether exposure to an extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF, 50 Hz) affects postischemic damage in the hippocampus of Mongolian gerbils. After 10-min bilateral carotid occlusion, gerbils were continuously exposed to ELF-MF at an average magnetic induction of 0.5 mT for 7 days, with outcomes assessed on the seventh and 14th days after reperfusion. Ischemic gerbils exposed to ELF-MF had significantly lower cell loss and greater astrocyte and microglial responses compared with ischemic gerbils without exposure on the seventh day after reperfusion. By the 14th day after reperfusion, differences in the measured parameters were low and insignificant.
Rauš S et al. · 2013
Researchers exposed gerbils to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as power lines) after inducing stroke-like brain damage to see if EMF exposure affected recovery. They found that animals exposed to magnetic fields at 0.5 mT had significantly less brain cell death and better immune cell responses compared to unexposed animals. This suggests that certain magnetic field exposures might actually protect brain tissue during injury recovery.
Balassa T et al. · 2013
Researchers exposed developing rats to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as power lines) during critical brain development periods and found lasting changes in brain function. The exposed animals showed altered electrical activity in brain regions responsible for learning and memory, with some changes persisting weeks after exposure ended. This suggests that magnetic field exposure during early development may affect how the brain processes information later in life.
Rageh MM, El-Gebaly RH, El-Bialy NS. · 2012
Researchers exposed newborn rats continuously to a 50 Hz, 0.5 mT extremely low-frequency magnetic field for 30 days, starting when the rats were 10 days old. DNA damage in brain cells, measured by comet assay, was significantly higher in the exposed group. Exposure was associated with a significant four-fold increase in micronucleus induction and about a three-fold increase in mitotic index in bone marrow cells. Exposed rats also showed significantly higher levels of MDA and SOD, while ELF-MF failed to alter the activity of GSH.
