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Chronic exposure to an extremely low‐frequency magnetic field induces depression‐like behavior and corticosterone secretion without enhancement of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in mice†

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Kitaoka K, Kitamura M, Aoi S, Shimizu N, Yoshizaki K. · 2013

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Chronic extremely low-frequency magnetic field exposure was associated with depression- and anxiety-like behavior and higher corticosterone levels in mice, without activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers investigated whether chronic extremely low-frequency magnetic field exposure affected emotional behavior and corticosterone synthesis in mice, using an intensity of 3 mT over a total exposure of 200 hours. Exposed mice showed a significant increase in total immobility time in a forced swim test and showed latency to enter the light box in a light-dark transition test, compared with sham-treated mice. Corticosterone secretion was significantly high in the exposed mice, but no changes were observed in adrenocorticotropic hormone or stress-response gene expression, and Cyp17a1 mRNA was significantly reduced.

Why This Matters

Exposed mice showed a significant increase in total immobility time in a forced swim test and showed latency to enter the light box in a light-dark transition test, compared with sham-treated mice. The findings suggest that the rise in corticosterone did not come from activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, since adrenocorticotropic hormone levels and stress-response genes were unchanged. The researchers observed a significant reduction in Cyp17a1 mRNA, among adrenal corticosteroid synthesis enzymes, in the exposed mice. The researchers framed their conclusions as suggesting a possibility that high intensity and chronic exposure to ELF-MF induces these effects.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
3 mT
Exposure Duration
200 h

Exposure Context

This study used 3 mT 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: 3 mTExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)This level is 15 times the FCC limit

Study Details

In the present study, we investigated whether chronic ELF‐MF exposure (intensity, 3 mT; total exposure, 200 h) affected emotional behavior and corticosterone synthesis in mice.

ELF‐MF‐treated mice showed a significant increase in total immobility time in a forced swim test and...

Our findings suggest the possibility that high intensity and chronic exposure to ELF‐MF induces an increase in corticosterone secretion, along with depression‐ and/or anxiety‐like behavior, without enhancement of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.

Cite This Study
Kitaoka K, Kitamura M, Aoi S, Shimizu N, Yoshizaki K. (2013). Chronic exposure to an extremely low‐frequency magnetic field induces depression‐like behavior and corticosterone secretion without enhancement of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in mice† Bioelectromagnetics. 34(1):43-51, 2013.
Show BibTeX
@article{k_2013_chronic_exposure_to_an_266,
  author = {Kitaoka K and Kitamura M and Aoi S and Shimizu N and Yoshizaki K.},
  title = {Chronic exposure to an extremely low‐frequency magnetic field induces depression‐like behavior and corticosterone secretion without enhancement of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in mice†},
  year = {2013},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.21743},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.21743},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.21743

Cited By (43 papers)

View all 43 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

The study used an extremely low-frequency magnetic field at an intensity of 3 mT over a total exposure of 200 hours.
Exposed mice showed a significant increase in total immobility time in a forced swim test and showed latency to enter the light box in a light-dark transition test, compared with sham-treated mice.
Corticosterone secretion was significantly high in the exposed mice.
No changes were observed in adrenocorticotropic hormone or stress-response gene expression, suggesting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis was not enhanced.
Quantification of mRNA levels of adrenal corticosteroid synthesis enzymes revealed a significant reduction in Cyp17a1 mRNA in the exposed mice.