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Influence of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on Ca2+ signaling and double messenger system in mice hippocampus and reversal function of procyanidins extracted from lotus seedpod.

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Zhang H, Dai Y, Cheng Y, He Y, Manyakara Z, Duan Y, Sun G, Sun X. · 2017

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Power frequency magnetic fields disrupted brain chemistry and reduced protective proteins in mice, but antioxidants reversed the damage.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed mice to power line frequency magnetic fields for 4 hours daily over 28 days. The exposure disrupted brain chemistry in the hippocampus, reducing proteins essential for memory and learning while increasing harmful cellular changes that could affect cognitive function.

Why This Matters

This study provides compelling evidence that power frequency magnetic fields can disrupt fundamental brain chemistry at the cellular level. The 8 mT exposure used here is substantially higher than typical household levels (which range from 0.01 to 1 mT near appliances), but the four-week duration mirrors chronic, long-term exposure patterns many people experience. What makes this research particularly significant is its focus on the hippocampus and BDNF reduction. The hippocampus governs memory formation and learning, while BDNF protects neurons from damage and supports brain plasticity. The fact that natural antioxidants could reverse these effects suggests the damage operates through oxidative stress pathways. This adds to a growing body of evidence that EMF exposure can interfere with normal brain function, even at non-thermal levels that regulatory agencies currently consider safe.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
8 mG
Source/Device
50 Hz
Exposure Duration
4 h per day, for 28 days

Exposure Context

This study used 8 mG for magnetic fields:

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 8 mGExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the Extreme Concern rangeFCC limit is 250x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

This research investigated the influence of extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF; 50 Hz, 8 mT, 4 h per day, for 28 days) on calcium ion signaling and the double messenger system in the hippocampus of mice

Messengers that were studied included: G-protein, Ins(1,4,5)P3 (IP3), diacylglycerol (DAG), cAMP-dep...

The results showed that ELF-MF caused an increase in the levels of Gi protein, IP3, DAG, PKA and PKC...

All these showed that LSPCs may mediate calcium signal and double messenger system through Ca2+/CaMK II/CREB/BDNF and DG/PKC/MAPK signaling pathways to reverse the alteration caused by ELF-MF.

Cite This Study
Zhang H, Dai Y, Cheng Y, He Y, Manyakara Z, Duan Y, Sun G, Sun X. (2017). Influence of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on Ca2+ signaling and double messenger system in mice hippocampus and reversal function of procyanidins extracted from lotus seedpod. Bioelectromagnetics. 38(6):436-446, 2017.
Show BibTeX
@article{h_2017_influence_of_extremely_low_736,
  author = {Zhang H and Dai Y and Cheng Y and He Y and Manyakara Z and Duan Y and Sun G and Sun X.},
  title = {Influence of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on Ca2+ signaling and double messenger system in mice hippocampus and reversal function of procyanidins extracted from lotus seedpod.},
  year = {2017},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.22058},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.22058},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.22058

Cited By (15 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, a 2017 study found that 50 Hz magnetic fields from power lines disrupted brain chemistry in the hippocampus after 28 days of exposure. The fields reduced proteins essential for memory and learning while increasing harmful cellular changes that could impair cognitive function in mice.
Research shows that 4 hours of daily 50 Hz magnetic field exposure for 28 days significantly increased intracellular calcium levels in mouse hippocampus. This disruption of calcium signaling affected proteins crucial for memory formation and could impact learning abilities.
Yes, procyanidins from lotus seedpod effectively reversed brain changes caused by magnetic field exposure in mice. The 90 mg/kg dose restored normal levels of memory-related proteins and calcium signaling, suggesting natural antioxidants may protect against EMF-induced brain dysfunction.
50 Hz magnetic field exposure decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMK II) in mouse hippocampus. These proteins are essential for memory formation, learning, and preventing neuronal cell death in the brain's memory center.
Significant changes in hippocampus brain chemistry occurred after 28 days of 4-hour daily exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields. This timeframe suggests that chronic exposure to power line frequencies may gradually impair the brain's memory and learning systems.