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Effect of weak combined static and extremely low-frequency alternating magnetic fields on spatial memory and brain amyloid-β in two animal models of Alzheimer's disease.

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Bobkova NV, Novikov VV, Medvinskaya NI, Aleksandrova IY, Nesterova IV, Fesenko EE. · 2018

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Exposure to weak combined magnetic fields reduced amyloid-β levels in two mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, though memory improvement was seen only in transgenic mice.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers studied the effects of a weak combined magnetic field on spatial memory and brain amyloid-β in two mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. Exposure to the magnetic fields for 4 hours per day for 10 days decreased amyloid-β levels in the brains of OBE mice and reduced the number of amyloid-β plaques in the cortex and hippocampus of transgenic mice. Memory improvement was seen in transgenic mice only, not in OBE animals.

Why This Matters

The study used two different mouse models: olfactory bulbectomized mice, representing sporadic Alzheimer's disease, and transgenic mice carrying the APPswe and PSEN1 mutations, representing heritable Alzheimer's disease. The magnetic field tested was a combination of a constant component of 42 µT and an alternating field of 0.08 µT at two frequencies, 4.38 and 4.88 Hz. Spatial memory was tested in a Morris water maze on the day after training trials were completed with the hidden platform removed. Amyloid-β levels were measured in extracts of the cortex and hippocampus, while amyloid plaques were counted and sized after staining with thioflavin S in the transgenic animals. The researchers suggested that magnetic fields could be used at an early stage of neuronal degeneration to help prevent amyloid-β accumulation in Alzheimer's disease and other conditions involving amyloid protein deposits.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
0.00008 - 0.042 mT
Source/Device
4.38 and 4.88 Hz
Exposure Duration
4 h/day for 10 days

Exposure Context

This study used 0.00008 - 0.042 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: 0.00008 - 0.042 mTExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the Slight Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 2,500 times higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 5 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 5 HzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The aim of this study was to evaluate Effect of weak combined static and extremely low-frequency alternating magnetic fields on spatial memory and brain amyloid-β in two animal models of Alzheimer's disease

Subchronic effect of a weak combined magnetic field (MF), produced by superimposing a constant compo...

Exposure to the MFs (4 h/day for 10 days) induced the decrease of Aβ level in brain of OBE mice and ...

we suggest that in order to prevent the Aβ accumulation, MFs could be used at early stage of neuronal degeneration in case of AD and other diseases with amyloid protein deposition in other tissues.

Cite This Study
Bobkova NV, Novikov VV, Medvinskaya NI, Aleksandrova IY, Nesterova IV, Fesenko EE. (2018). Effect of weak combined static and extremely low-frequency alternating magnetic fields on spatial memory and brain amyloid-β in two animal models of Alzheimer's disease. Electromagn Biol Med. 37(3):127-137, 2018.
Show BibTeX
@article{nv_2018_effect_of_weak_combined_606,
  author = {Bobkova NV and Novikov VV and Medvinskaya NI and Aleksandrova IY and Nesterova IV and Fesenko EE.},
  title = {Effect of weak combined static and extremely low-frequency alternating magnetic fields on spatial memory and brain amyloid-β in two animal models of Alzheimer's disease.},
  year = {2018},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29771571/},
}
PubMed: 29771571

Cited By (16 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

The field combined a constant component of 42 µT with an alternating component of 0.08 µT at two frequencies, 4.38 and 4.88 Hz.
Mice were exposed to the magnetic fields for 4 hours per day for 10 days.
Amyloid-β levels decreased in the brains of OBE mice, and the number of amyloid-β plaques in the cortex and hippocampus was reduced in transgenic mice.
Memory improvement was found in transgenic mice only, not in olfactory bulbectomized mice.
Amyloid-β levels were determined in cortex and hippocampus extracts using DOT analysis, and amyloid plaques were detected by staining with thioflavin S in transgenic animals.