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Exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic field restores spinal cord injury-induced tonic pain and its related neurotransmitter concentration in the brain.

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Kumar S, Jain S, Velpandian T, Petrovich Gerasimenko Y, D Avelev V, Behari J, Behari M, Mathur R. · 2013

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Power-line frequency magnetic fields restored normal brain chemistry and pain responses in spinal cord injured rats at everyday exposure levels.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed rats with spinal cord injuries to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (50 Hz, similar to power lines) for 2 hours daily over 8 weeks. They found that this exposure helped restore normal pain responses and brain chemistry that had been disrupted by the spinal injuries. The magnetic field treatment appeared to normalize levels of key brain chemicals like serotonin and GABA that control pain perception.

Why This Matters

This study demonstrates that extremely low-frequency magnetic fields can produce measurable biological effects on brain chemistry and pain processing. The exposure level of 17.96 μT is comparable to what you might encounter near power lines or some household appliances, though lower than many occupational exposures. What makes this research particularly significant is that it shows EMFs don't just cause biological changes - they can potentially restore normal function when the body's systems are disrupted. The science demonstrates that magnetic fields at everyday exposure levels can alter neurotransmitter concentrations in the brain, affecting fundamental processes like pain perception. This adds to the growing body of evidence that EMF exposure produces real biological effects, even when those effects might sometimes appear beneficial in specific medical contexts.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
0.0179 mG
Source/Device
50 Hz
Exposure Duration
2 h/day × 8 weeks

Exposure Context

This study used 0.0179 mG 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: 0.0179 mGExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the No Concern rangeFCC limit is 111,732x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The aim of this study is to observe Exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic field restores spinal cord injury-induced tonic pain and its related neurotransmitter concentration in the brain.

We report the effect of magnetic field (MF; 17.96 μT, 50 Hz) on tonic pain behavior and related neur...

Session-PR, block-PR and number of flinches were significantly lower, while time spent in categories...

We suggest beneficial effect of chronic (2 h/day × 8 weeks) exposure to MF (50 Hz, 17.96 μT) on tonic pain that is mediated by 5-HT, GABA and NE in complete SCI rats.

Cite This Study
Kumar S, Jain S, Velpandian T, Petrovich Gerasimenko Y, D Avelev V, Behari J, Behari M, Mathur R. (2013). Exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic field restores spinal cord injury-induced tonic pain and its related neurotransmitter concentration in the brain. Electromagn Biol Med. 32(4):471-483, 2013.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2013_exposure_to_extremely_lowfrequency_668,
  author = {Kumar S and Jain S and Velpandian T and Petrovich Gerasimenko Y and D Avelev V and Behari J and Behari M and Mathur R.},
  title = {Exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic field restores spinal cord injury-induced tonic pain and its related neurotransmitter concentration in the brain.},
  year = {2013},
  doi = {10.3109/15368378.2012.743907},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/15368378.2012.743907},
}
DOI: 10.3109/15368378.2012.743907

Cited By (16 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Research shows that 50 Hz magnetic fields (similar to power lines) may help restore normal pain responses after spinal cord injury. A 2013 study found that daily exposure for 8 weeks normalized brain chemistry and reduced chronic pain in rats with spinal injuries.
Yes, 50 Hz magnetic field exposure can affect brain neurotransmitter levels. Research found that this frequency helped restore normal levels of serotonin, GABA, and norepinephrine in the brains of rats with spinal cord injuries, improving their pain responses.
Actually, extremely low frequency EMF may be beneficial for spinal cord injuries. A 2013 study found that 50 Hz magnetic field exposure helped restore normal pain perception and brain chemistry in rats with complete spinal cord injuries.
Power line frequency radiation (50 Hz) appears to help normalize pain perception after nerve injury. Research shows it can restore healthy levels of brain chemicals like serotonin and GABA that control how we feel pain, particularly chronic pain conditions.
Studies suggest 50 Hz magnetic fields may have therapeutic benefits for chronic pain conditions. Research found that 2 hours daily exposure for 8 weeks helped restore normal brain chemistry and pain responses in animals with spinal cord injuries.