Influence of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on Ca2+ signaling and NMDA receptor functions in rat hippocampus.
Manikonda PK, Rajendra P, Devendranath D, Gunasekaran B, Channakeshava, Aradhya RS, Sashidhar RB, Subramanyam C. · 2007
View Original AbstractELF magnetic fields at power line levels disrupted memory-critical brain receptors in developing rats after 90-day exposure.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed young rats to magnetic fields from power lines for 90 days, then examined their brain tissue. The exposure disrupted calcium signaling and reduced NMDA receptor function in the hippocampus, suggesting power line magnetic fields could interfere with learning and memory development.
Why This Matters
This study provides compelling evidence that ELF magnetic fields can disrupt fundamental brain processes at exposure levels you might encounter in everyday life. The magnetic field strengths tested (50 and 100 microtesla) are well within the range found near power lines, electrical panels, and some household appliances. What makes this research particularly significant is its focus on the hippocampus during a critical developmental window. The hippocampus is your brain's memory center, and the NMDA receptors affected in this study are crucial for learning and forming new memories. The disrupted calcium signaling the researchers observed represents a cascade of cellular changes that could have lasting effects on cognitive function. While this was an animal study, the biological mechanisms involved are highly conserved across mammals, making these findings relevant to human health concerns about EMF exposure during childhood development.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.05, 0.1 mG
- Source/Device
- 50 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 90 days
Exposure Context
This study used 0.05, 0.1 mG for magnetic fields:
- 2.5Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 500x above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
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 Details
we examined their influence on Ca2+ signaling enzymes in hippocampus and related them with NMDA receptor functions.
Hippocampal regions were obtained from brains of 21-day-old rats that were exposed for 90 days to 50...
In comparison to controls, ELF exposure caused increased intracellular Ca2+ levels concomitant with ...
The combined results suggest that perturbed neuronal functions caused by ELF exposure may involve altered Ca2+ signaling events contributing to aberrant NMDA receptor activities.
Show BibTeX
@article{pk_2007_influence_of_extremely_low_682,
author = {Manikonda PK and Rajendra P and Devendranath D and Gunasekaran B and Channakeshava and Aradhya RS and Sashidhar RB and Subramanyam C.},
title = {Influence of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on Ca2+ signaling and NMDA receptor functions in rat hippocampus.},
year = {2007},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304394006012833},
}