Effect of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Field and GABAA Receptors on Serum Testosterone Level of Male Rats.

International journal of endocrinology and metabolism · 2013 · No effect · Low evidence

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No effectLow evidencePaper 3079

Study snapshot

PublicationInternational journal of endocrinology and metabolism · 2013

Study typeanimal

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

BACKGROUND: GABA can influence the steroidogenesis in peripheral and central nervoussystems. OBJECTIVES: The present study investigates the interactive effect of GABAA receptors and extremely low frequency electromagnetic field on serum testosterone level of male rats. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty adult male rats were randomly assigned into 10 groups. Groups 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 were exposed to ELF-EMF for 30 days 8hrs per day; while, the remaining groups (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) were sham exposed animals. At the end of the experiment, animals in groups 1 and 2 received normal saline; while, animals in groups 3 and 4 were treated with 1 mg/kg of bicuculline methiodide, and for animals of groups 5 and 6,3 mg/kg of bicuculline was injected. Animals of groups 7 and 8 were treated with 0.5 mg/kg of muscimol hydrobromide and rats in groups 9 and 10 received 2 mg/kg muscimol hydrobromide. About forty minutes after the injection, blood samples were collected and serum testosterone level was assayed using RIA. RESULTS: Administration of muscimol hydrobromide at both doses to sham exposed rats significantly decreased serum testosterone level as compared to sham exposed animals which received saline. Administration of bicuculline methiodide without exposure to ELF-EMF, had no significant effect on testosterone level as compared to group 1. Serum testosterone levels of rats in different groups, exposed to ELF-EMF were statistically the same. Moreover, serum testosterone of exposed and sham exposed rats in each treatment showed no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: No interactivity is present in modulatory effects of GABAA receptors and ELF-EMFs on serum testosterone of male rats.

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeanimal

Effect directionno_effect

PopulationAdult male rats

Sample size50

ExposureELF · 30 days, 8 hrs/day

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In sham-exposed rats, muscimol hydrobromide (0.5 or 2 mg/kg) significantly decreased serum testosterone compared with saline. Bicuculline methiodide (1 or 3 mg/kg) in sham-exposed rats had no significant effect versus saline. Across groups exposed to ELF-EMF, serum testosterone levels were statistically the same, and within each drug treatment there was no significant difference between exposed and sham-exposed rats; the authors conclude no interaction between GABAA receptor modulation and ELF-EMF on serum testosterone.

Outcomes measured

Serum testosterone level

Limitations

ELF-EMF exposure parameters (e.g., frequency, field strength) not reported in abstract
Outcome assessed at a single post-injection time point (~40 minutes)
Animal study; generalizability to humans is limited

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "30 days, 8 hrs/day"
  },
  "population": "Adult male rats",
  "sample_size": 50,
  "outcomes": [
    "Serum testosterone level"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In sham-exposed rats, muscimol hydrobromide (0.5 or 2 mg/kg) significantly decreased serum testosterone compared with saline. Bicuculline methiodide (1 or 3 mg/kg) in sham-exposed rats had no significant effect versus saline. Across groups exposed to ELF-EMF, serum testosterone levels were statistically the same, and within each drug treatment there was no significant difference between exposed and sham-exposed rats; the authors conclude no interaction between GABAA receptor modulation and ELF-EMF on serum testosterone.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "ELF-EMF exposure parameters (e.g., frequency, field strength) not reported in abstract",
    "Outcome assessed at a single post-injection time point (~40 minutes)",
    "Animal study; generalizability to humans is limited"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "extremely low frequency",
    "ELF-EMF",
    "GABAA receptors",
    "muscimol",
    "bicuculline",
    "testosterone",
    "male rats",
    "steroidogenesis"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.5812/ijem.11029
PubMed: 24719627

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