Modulation of antioxidant enzyme gene expression by extremely low frequency electromagnetic field in post-stroke patients.
Cichon N, Bijak M, Synowiec E, Miller E, Sliwinski T, Saluk-Bijak J. · 2018
View Original AbstractELF-EMF therapy significantly boosted stroke patients' antioxidant gene expression, suggesting controlled electromagnetic fields may have therapeutic benefits.
Plain English Summary
Researchers studied 48 stroke patients who received either standard physical therapy alone or physical therapy plus extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) treatment. They found that patients receiving ELF-EMF therapy showed significantly increased activity in genes that produce antioxidant enzymes - the body's natural defense system against cellular damage. This suggests ELF-EMF therapy may help stroke patients recover by boosting their cells' ability to protect themselves from harmful oxidative stress.
Why This Matters
This study adds an intriguing dimension to our understanding of EMF bioeffects by demonstrating therapeutic potential rather than harm. The research shows that ELF-EMF exposure can upregulate antioxidant enzyme genes, potentially helping stroke patients combat the oxidative stress that contributes to brain damage and impairs recovery. What's particularly significant is that this represents a beneficial biological response to EMF exposure, contrasting with the majority of research that focuses on adverse effects. However, the study lacks crucial exposure details - we don't know the specific frequencies, intensities, or duration of treatment used. This therapeutic application doesn't negate concerns about chronic, uncontrolled EMF exposure from everyday sources like power lines and appliances, which operate at different parameters and contexts. The key distinction is controlled, targeted medical use versus involuntary environmental exposure.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.
Study Details
The aim of this study was to evaluate the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of certain antioxidant genes in post-stroke patients given ELF-EMF therapy.
Forty-eight post-stroke patients were divided into two groups: an ELF-EMF group and a non-ELF-EMF gr...
We observed that after ELF-EMF therapy, the mRNA expression of the studied genes (CAT, SOD1, SOD2, G...
ELF-EMF therapy intensifies the endogenous antioxidant system by increasing the mRNA expression of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes and enhances the effectiveness of post-stroke patient therapy.
Show BibTeX
@article{n_2018_modulation_of_antioxidant_enzyme_1733,
author = {Cichon N and Bijak M and Synowiec E and Miller E and Sliwinski T and Saluk-Bijak J.},
title = {Modulation of antioxidant enzyme gene expression by extremely low frequency electromagnetic field in post-stroke patients.},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1080/00365513.2018.1542540},
url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00365513.2018.1542540},
}