Electromagnetic field treatment protects against and reverses cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease mice.
Despite numerous studies, there is no definitive evidence that high-frequency electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure is a risk to human health. To the contrary, this report presents the first evidence that long-term EMF exposure directly associated with cell phone use (918 MHz; 0.25 w/kg) provides cognitive benefits. Both cognitive-protective and cognitive-enhancing effects of EMF exposure were discovered for both normal mice and transgenic mice destined to develop Alzheimer's-like cognitive impairment. The cognitive interference task utilized in this study was designed from, and measure-for-measure analogous to, a human cognitive interference task. In Alzheimer's disease mice, long-term EMF exposure reduced brain amyloid-beta (Abeta) deposition through Abeta anti-aggregation actions and increased brain temperature during exposure periods. Several inter-related mechanisms of EMF action are proposed, including increased Abeta clearance from the brains of Alzheimer's disease mice, increased neuronal activity, and increased cerebral blood flow. Although caution should be taken in extrapolating these mouse studies to humans, we conclude that EMF exposure may represent a non-invasive, non-pharmacologic therapeutic against Alzheimer's disease and an effective memory-enhancing approach in general.
Arendash
Gary W
GW
The Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Tampa, FL, USA. arendash@cas.usf.edu
Sanchez-Ramos
Juan
J
Mori
Takashi
T
Mamcarz
Malgorzata
M
Lin
Xiaoyang
X
Runfeldt
Melissa
M
Wang
Li
L
Zhang
Guixin
G
Sava
Vasyl
V
Tan
Jun
J
Cao
Chuanhai
C
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D055909:Magnetic Field Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic