title: Extremely low frequency magnetic field modulates the level of neurotransmitters.
abstract: This study was aimed to observe that extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) may be relevant to changes of major neurotransmitters in rat brain. After the exposure to ELF-MF (60 Hz, 2.0 mT) for 2 or 5 days, we measured the levels of biogenic amines and their metabolites, amino acid neurotransmitters and nitric oxide (NO) in the cortex, striatum, thalamus, cerebellum and hippocampus. The exposure of ELF-MF for 2 or 5 days produced significant differences in norepinephrine and vanillyl mandelic acid in the striatum, thalamus, cerebellum and hippocampus. Significant increases in the levels of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were also observed in the striatum, thalamus or hippocampus. ELF-MF significantly increased the concentration of dopamine in the thalamus. ELF-MF tended to increase the levels of amino acid neurotransmitters such as glutamine, glycine and γ -aminobutyric acid in the striatum and thalamus, whereas it decreased the levels in the cortex, cerebellum and hippocampus. ELF-MF significantly increased NO concentration in the striatum, thalamus and hippocampus. The present study has demonstrated that exposure to ELF-MFs may evoke the changes in the levels of biogenic amines, amino acid and NO in the brain although the extent and property vary with the brain areas. However, the mechanisms remain further to be characterized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Su Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Cheol Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Christmas Clinic, Yongin 446-597, Korea.
authors.forename: Keon Woong
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Uy Dong
authors.initials: UD
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Eon Sub
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jeong
keywords: Amino acid; Biogenic amines; Extremely low frequency magnetic field; Neurotransmitters; Nitric oxide