Autism-relevant social abnormalities in mice exposed perinatally to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields.
Alsaeed I, Al-Somali F, Sakhnini L, Aljarallah OS, Hamdan RM, Bubishate SA, Sarfaraz ZK, Kamal A. · 2014
View Original AbstractPrenatal EMF exposure produced autism-like social deficits in mice, suggesting developmental brain vulnerability during pregnancy.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed pregnant mice and their newborn pups to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (the type emitted by power lines and electrical wiring) during a critical developmental window. The exposed male mice grew up showing significant social deficits similar to those seen in autism spectrum disorders, including reduced interest in other mice and decreased exploratory behavior, while their physical abilities remained normal.
Why This Matters
This study adds important evidence to a growing body of research linking EMF exposure during critical developmental periods to neurological changes. The timing of exposure is particularly significant - the researchers targeted the final week of pregnancy and first week after birth, when brain development is most vulnerable to environmental influences. What makes this research especially concerning is that the social behavioral deficits observed mirror key characteristics of autism spectrum disorders in humans. While this is an animal study with a small sample size, it builds on epidemiological evidence suggesting increased autism rates may correlate with rising EMF exposure in modern environments. The reality is that pregnant women today are surrounded by ELF fields from household wiring, appliances, and power lines at levels that didn't exist in previous generations.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: Last week of gestation and for 7 days after delivery
Study Details
In this study we examined the effects of perinatal exposure to ELF EMF on some ASD-relevant behavioral parameters in mice.
The EMF was delivered via a Helmholtz coil pair. Male BALB/C mice were used and divided into exposed...
The exposed mice demonstrated a lack of normal sociability and preference for social novelty while m...
We concluded that these results are supportive of the hypothesis of a causal link between exposure to ELF-EMF and ASD; however, replications of the study with further tests are recommended.
Show BibTeX
@article{i_2014_autismrelevant_social_abnormalities_in_1723,
author = {Alsaeed I and Al-Somali F and Sakhnini L and Aljarallah OS and Hamdan RM and Bubishate SA and Sarfaraz ZK and Kamal A.},
title = {Autism-relevant social abnormalities in mice exposed perinatally to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields.},
year = {2014},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24970316/},
}