Magnetic field exposure during gestation: pineal and cerebral cortex serotonin in the rat.
Extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields seem to have a reproducible influence on cells in transitional states, such as cells during the embryonic and early postnatal periods. Intense and continuous serotonergic synaptic growth is present during the first 2 weeks of postnatal development, paralleled by 5-HT content in the brain, so, the effect of ELF on 5-HT content in the cerebral cortex and pineal gland was determined in growing rats exposed during pregnancy, and in normal controls. The results showed a significant 5-HT increase at birth, 15 and 21 days, in the cerebral cortex. No differences were found in the pineal gland. These short MF exposures had a long term effect on cerebral cortex 5-HT, possibly starting since the fetal period. The relevance of the present findings are discussed as related to the serotonin trophic role on the brain cortex.
Cañedo
L
L
División de Investigación, Hospital Juárez, Mexico, DF, Mexico.
Cantú
R García
RG
Hernández-R
J
J
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D008280:Magnetics; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
D012701:Serotonin