Melatonin protects rat cerebellar granule cells against electromagnetic field-induced increases in Na+ currents through intracellular Ca2+ release.
Liu DD, Ren Z, Yang G, Zhao QR, Mei YA. · 2014
View Original AbstractEMF exposure increased brain cell electrical activity by 62.5%, but melatonin provided cellular protection against these disruptive effects.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed rat brain cells to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) for 60 minutes and found it dramatically increased sodium ion currents by 62.5%, which can disrupt normal brain cell function. However, when they treated the cells with melatonin (a hormone naturally produced by your body), it protected against these harmful effects. This suggests melatonin may serve as a natural defense mechanism against EMF-induced brain cell damage.
Why This Matters
This study reveals a concerning finding about how electromagnetic fields directly alter the electrical activity of brain cells. The 62.5% increase in sodium currents represents a significant disruption to normal cellular function, as these currents are critical for nerve signal transmission. What makes this research particularly valuable is that it identifies a potential protective mechanism through melatonin, which your body naturally produces. The science demonstrates that melatonin works through specific cellular pathways to counteract EMF effects, offering insights into why some people may be more sensitive to electromagnetic fields than others. While the study used laboratory conditions and didn't specify exact exposure levels, it adds to the growing body of evidence showing that EMF exposure can alter brain cell function at the molecular level. The reality is that this type of cellular disruption could potentially contribute to neurological symptoms reported by EMF-sensitive individuals.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: 60 min
Study Details
we investigated the effects of MT on extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF)-induced Nav activity in rat cerebellar granule cells (GCs).
Exposing cerebellar GCs to ELF-EMF for 60 min
significantly increased the Nav current (INa ) densities by 62.5%. MT (5 μM) inhibited the ELF-EMF-i...
Our data show for the first time that MT protects against neuronal INa that result from ELF-EMF exposure through Ca(2+) influx-induced Ca(2+) release.
Show BibTeX
@article{dd_2014_melatonin_protects_rat_cerebellar_1755,
author = {Liu DD and Ren Z and Yang G and Zhao QR and Mei YA.},
title = {Melatonin protects rat cerebellar granule cells against electromagnetic field-induced increases in Na+ currents through intracellular Ca2+ release.},
year = {2014},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24548607/},
}