Extremely low frequency magnetic field induced changes in motor behaviour of gerbils submitted to global cerebral ischemia.
Rauš S, Selaković V, Radenović L, Prolić Z, Janać B. · 2012
View Original AbstractPower-frequency magnetic fields at 0.5 mT reduced brain injury symptoms in gerbils, showing EMF can measurably alter neurological function.
Plain English Summary
Serbian researchers exposed gerbils with induced stroke-like brain damage to 50 Hz magnetic fields (the same frequency as power lines) for seven days. The magnetic field exposure significantly reduced the hyperactive behavior that typically follows brain injury from lack of blood flow. This suggests that extremely low frequency magnetic fields may influence brain recovery processes after stroke or similar injuries.
Why This Matters
This study reveals something remarkable about how power-frequency magnetic fields interact with injured brain tissue. The researchers found that 0.5 mT magnetic fields - roughly 100 times stronger than what you'd measure near household appliances but similar to levels found very close to power lines - actually had a protective effect on brain function after ischemic injury. What makes this particularly significant is that it demonstrates ELF magnetic fields can modulate fundamental neurological processes, not just at the cellular level but in ways that translate to observable behavioral changes. The reality is that while this specific scenario involved stroke-like conditions, it adds to a growing body of evidence showing that magnetic fields at power-line frequencies can influence brain function in measurable ways. You don't have to live next to a power substation to be exposed to these fields, though the therapeutic levels used here are higher than typical household exposures.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.5 mG
- Source/Device
- 50 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 7 days
Exposure Context
This study used 0.5 mG for magnetic fields:
- 25Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 5Kx 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
The purpose of this study was to evaluate behavioural effects of an extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) in 3-month-old Mongolian gerbils submitted to global cerebral ischemia
After 10-min occlusion of both common carotid arteries, the gerbils were placed in the vicinity of a...
It was shown that the 10-min global cerebral ischemia per se induced a significant motor activity in...
Our results revealed that the applied ELF-MF (50 Hz, 0.5 mT) decreased motor hyperactivity induced by the 10-min global cerebral ischemia, via modulation of the processes that underlie this behavioural response.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2012_extremely_low_frequency_magnetic_285,
author = {Rauš S and Selaković V and Radenović L and Prolić Z and Janać B.},
title = {Extremely low frequency magnetic field induced changes in motor behaviour of gerbils submitted to global cerebral ischemia.},
year = {2012},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166432811007790},
}