Deficits in water maze performance and oxidative stress in the hippocampus and striatum induced by extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure.
Cui Y, Ge Z, Rizak JD, Zhai C, Zhou Z, Gong S, Che Y. · 2012
View Original AbstractELF magnetic fields at 1 mT impaired learning and memory in mice while causing oxidative brain damage, suggesting cognitive risks from high-EMF environments.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed mice to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (the type emitted by power lines and electrical devices) for 4 hours daily and tested their learning abilities. The exposed mice showed significant impairments in both spatial memory and habit formation, along with increased oxidative stress (cellular damage) in key brain regions responsible for learning and memory.
Why This Matters
This study adds important evidence to the growing body of research linking ELF magnetic field exposure to cognitive dysfunction. The 1 mT exposure level used here is higher than typical household exposures but well within ranges found near power lines, electrical substations, and some high-current appliances. What makes this research particularly significant is that it identifies a potential biological mechanism - oxidative stress in the hippocampus and striatum - that could explain how magnetic fields interfere with learning and memory processes. The science demonstrates that these effects aren't just statistical correlations but involve measurable biological changes in brain tissue. For anyone living near power infrastructure or using high-EMF devices regularly, this research suggests that cognitive impacts from magnetic field exposure deserve serious consideration in daily exposure decisions.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 1 mG
- Source/Device
- 50 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 4 hours per day
Exposure Context
This study used 1 mG for magnetic fields:
- 50Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 10Kx 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
In this study, we examined the effects of ELF-MF exposure on learning in mice using two water maze tasks and on some parameters indicative of oxidative stress in the hippocampus and striatum.
We found that ELF-MF exposure (1 mT, 50 Hz) induced serious oxidative stress in the hippocampus and ...
This study provides evidence for the association between the impairment of learning and the oxidative stress in hippocampus and striatum induced by ELF-MF exposure.
Show BibTeX
@article{y_2012_deficits_in_water_maze_237,
author = {Cui Y and Ge Z and Rizak JD and Zhai C and Zhou Z and Gong S and Che Y. },
title = {Deficits in water maze performance and oxidative stress in the hippocampus and striatum induced by extremely low frequency magnetic field exposure.},
year = {2012},
url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0032196},
}