Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Effect of acute extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure on the antioxidant status and lipid levels in rat brain med./bio.

By: Martinez-Samano J, Torres-Duran PV, Juarez-Oropeza MA, Verdugo-Diaz L

Published in: Arch Med Res 2012; 43 (3): 183-189

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the immediate effects of acute magnetic field exposure, immobilization, and the combination of both on the antioxidant system and lipid content in the whole brain of rat.

Background/further details

32 male rats were divided into four groups: 1) control group, 2) exposure group, 3) immobilization, 4) exposure + immobilization.
Immobilization was used as a positive control for physical and psychological stress.

Endpoint

effects on the neurological system: oxidative stress in the brain, brain metabolism

Exposure

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 60 Hz Exposure duration: continuous for 2 h	magnetic flux density: 2.4 mT

General information

Animals were divided into four groups: 1) control group (no exposure, no immobilization) 2) exposure group (no immobilization) 3) immobilization 4) exposure + immobilization

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	60 Hz
Type	magnetic field
Waveform	sinusoidal
Exposure duration	continuous for 2 h

Exposure setup

Exposure source	Helmholtz coils
Setup	rats were restrained by confinement into a 18 cm long acrylic cylinder with an inner diameter of 7 cm; unrestained rats were placed individually in 47 cm x 25 cm x 21 cm acrylic cages; pair of circular Helmholtz coils with an inner diameter of 30 cm, consisting of 350 turns of 18-gauge copper wire; coils separated by 15 cm from the upper and lower surfaces of the animal cage
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
magnetic flux density	2.4 mT	-	measured	-	-

Reference articles

Vazquez-Garcia M et al. (2004): Exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields improves social recognition in male rats

Exposed system:

animal
rat/Wistar
whole body

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

endocrine changes: plasma corticosterone content
effects on the neurological system: oxidative stress in the brain and brain metabolism (level of reduced glutathione), enzyme activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase (spectrophotometry); level of nitric oxide (colorimetry); total lipid content and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in total lipid content; triacylglycerol and cholesterol levels (commercial kits)

Investigated system:

tissue homogenates and supernatants; blood samples

Investigated organ system:

brain/CNS

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Acute exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic field alone as well as "exposure + immobilization" induced a reduction in catalase and superoxide dismutase enzyme activities compared with the control group, whereas the combination of "magnetic field exposure and immobilization" also decreased both reduced glutathione (compared with the control group) and nitric oxide levels compared with the other groups. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the total lipid content of the brain were higher in the "exposure + immobilization group" than in the other experimental groups. Exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields did not induce any changes of the stress-hormone corticosterone or triacylglycerol levels.
Acute exposure to the extremely low frequency magnetic field appears to be a mild stressor.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Programa de Apoyo a Proyectos de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica (PAPIIT), Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Mexico
Universidad Nacional Autònoma de México (UNAM)

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