Volume 21, Issue 1 (Iranian South Medical Journal 2018)
Iran South Med J 2018, 21(1): 40-53 |
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Tekieh E, Kazemi M, Tavakoli H, Saberi M, Ghanaati H, Hajinasrollah M, et al . The Effect of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Visual Learning, Memory and Anatomical
Structures of the Brain in Male Rhesus Monkeys. Iran South Med J 2018; 21 (1) :40-53
URL: http://ismj.bpums.ac.ir/article-1-913-en.html
URL: http://ismj.bpums.ac.ir/article-1-913-en.html
Elahe Tekieh1 
, Masomeh Kazemi1 , Hasan Tavakoli1 , Mehdi Saberi2 , Hosean Ghanaati3 , Mostafa Hajinasrollah4 , Maryam Salehi1 , Hamed Aliyary5 , Hedayat Sahraei * 6
, Masomeh Kazemi1 , Hasan Tavakoli1 , Mehdi Saberi2 , Hosean Ghanaati3 , Mostafa Hajinasrollah4 , Maryam Salehi1 , Hamed Aliyary5 , Hedayat Sahraei * 6
1- Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of pharmacy, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3- Department of Radiology Medical Imaging Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4- Animal core facility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
5- Department of Electrical, Biomedical and Mechatronics Engineering, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.
6- Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ,hsahrei1343@gmail.com
2- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of pharmacy, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3- Department of Radiology Medical Imaging Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4- Animal core facility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
5- Department of Electrical, Biomedical and Mechatronics Engineering, Qazvin Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran.
6- Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ,
Abstract: (6332 Views)
Background: Humans in modern societies are exposed to substantially elevated levels of electromagnetic field (EMF) emissions with different frequencies. The neurobiological effects of EMF have been the subject of debate and intensive research over the past few decades. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of EMF on visual learning and anatomical dimensions of the hippocampus and the prefrontal area (PFA) in male Rhesus monkeys.
Materials and Methods: In this study, four rhesus monkeys of Macaca mulatta species were irradiated by 0.7 microtesla ELF-EMF either at 5 or 30 Hz, 4 h a day, for 30 days. Alterations in visual learning and memory were assessed before and after irradiation phase by using a box designed for challenging animals for gaining rewards. Furthermore, the monkeys’ brains were scanned by MRI technique one week before and one week after irradiation. The monkeys were anesthetized by intramuscular injection of ketamine hydrochloride (10–20 mg/kg) and xylazine (0.2–0.4 mg/kg), and scanned with a 3-Tesla Magnetom, in axial, sagittal, and coronal planes using T2 weighted protocol with a slice thickness of 3 mm. The anatomical changes of hippocampus and the prefrontal area (PFA) were measured by volumetric study.
Results: Electromagnetic field exposure at a frequency of 30 Hz reduced the number of correct responses in the learning process and delayed memory formation in the two tested monkeys. Meanwhile, ELF-EMF at 5 Hz had no effect on the visual learning and memory changes. No anatomical changes were observed in the prefrontal area and the hippocampus at both frequencies.
Conclusion: ELF-EMF irradiation at 30 Hz adversely affected visual learning and memory, probably through factors other than changes in brain structure and anatomy.
Keywords: electromagnetic field, hippocampus, prefrontal area, macaca mulatta monkey, visual learning
Type of Study: Original |
Subject:
Nervous System
Received: 2017/04/26 | Accepted: 2017/09/25 | Published: 2018/02/26
Received: 2017/04/26 | Accepted: 2017/09/25 | Published: 2018/02/26
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