In vitro developmental neurotoxicity following chronic exposure to 50 Hz extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) in primary rat cortical cultures.
de Groot MW, van Kleef RG, de Groot A, Westerink RH · 2015
View Original AbstractChronic 50 Hz ELF-EMF exposure had only limited neurotoxic potential in rat cortical cells grown in the lab, with most effects appearing only at the highest field strength tested.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed primary rat cortical neurons for 7 days to 50 Hz ELF-EMF at field strengths ranging from 0 to 1000 μT, then measured cell viability, calcium levels, neurite outgrowth, and spontaneous neuronal activity. Cell viability was not affected by exposure across the full range tested, and neuronal activity appeared largely unaltered. The researchers concluded that chronic ELF-EMF exposure has only limited neurotoxic potential in vitro.
Why This Matters
At 1 μT, depolarization- and glutamate-evoked increases in intracellular calcium concentration were slightly increased, while at 1000 μT both basal and stimulation-evoked calcium levels showed a modest inhibition. Neurite length was unaffected up to 100 μT but increased at 1000 μT. The researchers noted that effects were small and largely restricted to the highest field strength, which is well above current residential exposure limits.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0-1 mT
- Source/Device
- 50 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 7 days developmental exposure
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
We investigate effects of chronic, developmental ELF-EMF exposure in vitro.
Primary rat cortical neurons received 7 days developmental exposure to 50 Hz block-pulsed ELF-EMF (0...
Our data demonstrate that cell viability is not affected by developmental ELF-EMF (0–1000 μT) exposu...
Our combined data therefore indicate that chronic ELF-EMF exposure has only limited (developmental) neurotoxic potential in vitro.
Show BibTeX
@article{mw_2015_in_vitro_developmental_neurotoxicity_628,
author = {de Groot MW and van Kleef RG and de Groot A and Westerink RH},
title = {In vitro developmental neurotoxicity following chronic exposure to 50 Hz extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) in primary rat cortical cultures.},
year = {2015},
url = {https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article/149/2/433/2461546?login=true},
}