Effects of short-term exposure to (1mT, 50 Hz)‎ electromagnetic fields on calcium concentration in different brain regions of mice : the role of calcium channel blocker

Abstract EN

Objective: To evaluate the effect of short-term exposure to 50 Hz (1 mT) extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMFs) on the Ca2+ concentration in 4 different regions of the mice brain (cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus and brainstem).

Setting: University of Bahrain, Arabian Gulf University.

Design: Prospective Randomized Controlled Study.

Method: Adult BALB/c male mice were exposed to 50 Hz (1 mT) ELF-EMFs for 2 hours/day for five consecutive days and were treated were treated were treated were treated were treated were treated were treated were treated were treated were treated were treated orally with the calcium channel blocker Amlodipine.

Calcium was extracted from the mice brain tissues and the concentration of Ca2+ was determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy.

Result: The effect of ELF EMFs exposure on the Ca2+ concentrations varied in different regions of the brain, with a significant increase (P<0.05) only in the hippocampus and the brainstem.

This increase occurred during short-term exposure to ELF EMFs and the Ca2+ concentrations started to decrease during the interval of no exposure.

Conclusion: The rise in Ca2+ concentration due to ELF EMFs exposure did not occur in mice treated with the calcium channel blocker Amlodipine.

The increase in Ca2+ concentrations could have involved activation of the voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) by ELF EMFs.