title: Effect of a 0.5-T static magnetic field on conduction in guinea pig spinal cord.
abstract: Compound-evoked potentials were recorded from excised adult guinea pig spinal cords before, during, and following exposure to a 0.5-T static magnetic field (SMF). There was no change in response latency during exposure but there was a small, statistically significant, decrease in amplitude. Maximum effect was evident 1 to 2 min after the field was turned on with return to baseline within 1 min after the field was turned off. These results may be explained by a conduction block in the small axon subpopulation due to the effect of static magnetic fields on voltage-activated sodium channels. The relative selectivity of the field is believed to occur because of the relatively greater number of sodium channels present in smaller axons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coots
authors.forename: Riyi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Arthur D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Rosen
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008280:Magnetics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D015222:Sodium Channels