Effects of 3 Hz and 60 Hz Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Anxiety-Like Behaviors, Memory Retention of Passive Avoidance and Electrophysiological Properties of Male Rats.
Amin Rostami, Minoo Shahani, Mohammad Reza Zarrindast, Saeed Semnanian, Mohammad Rahmati Roudsari, Mostafa Rezaei Tavirani, Hadi Hasanzadeh
Author Information
Amin Rostami: Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Minoo Shahani: Proteomics Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Reza Zarrindast: Department of Pharmacology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Saeed Semnanian: Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Rahmati Roudsari: Skin Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mostafa Rezaei Tavirani: Proteomics Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Hadi Hasanzadeh: Cancer Research Center and Department of Medical Physics, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
INTRODUCTION: The effects of electromagnetic fields on biological organisms have been a controversial and also interesting debate over the past few decades, despite the wide range of investigations, many aspects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF/EMFs) effects including mechanism of their interaction with live organisms and also their possible biological applications still remain ambiguous. In the present study, we investigated whether the exposures of ELF/EMF with frequencies of 3 Hz and 60 Hz can affect the memory, anxiety like behaviors, electrophysiological properties and brain's proteome in rats. METHODS: Male rats were exposed to 3 Hz and 60 Hz ELF/EMFs in a protocol consisting of 2 cycles of 2 h/day exposure for 4 days separated with a 2-day interval. Short term memory and anxiety like behaviors were assessed immediately, 1 and 2 weeks after the exposures. Effects of short term exposure were also assessed using electrophysiological approach immediately after 2 hours exposure. RESULTS: Behavioral test revealed that immediately after the end of exposures, locomotor activity of both 3 Hz and 60 Hz exposed groups significantly decreased compared to sham group. This exposure protocol had no effect on anxiety like behavior during the 2 weeks after the treatment and also on short term memory. A significant reduction in firing rate of locus coeruleus (LC) was found after 2 hours of both 3 Hz and 60 Hz exposures. Proteome analysis also revealed global changes in whole brain proteome after treatment. CONCLUSION: Here, some evidence regarding the fact that such exposures can alter locomotor activity and neurons firing rate in male rats were presented.
