Improvement of spatial memory disorder and hippocampal damage by exposure to electromagnetic fields in an Alzheimer's disease rat model.

PloS one · 2015 · Benefit · Low evidence

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BenefitLow evidencePaper 4778

In a complex rat model of Alzheimer's disease, ELF-EMF exposure (50 Hz, 400 µT, 60 days) delayed weight gain and partially improved cognitive and clinicopathologic symptoms. Comparative proteomics suggested involvement of pathways including synaptic transmiss…

Study snapshot

PublicationPloS one · 2015

Study typeanimal

Reported directionBenefit

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Although some epidemiological investigations showed a potential association between long-term exposure of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), no reasonable mechanism can explain this association, and the related animal experiments are rare. In this study, ELF-EMF exposure (50 Hz 400 µT 60 d) combined with D-galactose intraperitoneal (50 mg/kg, q.d., 42 d) and Aβ25-35 hippocampal (5 μl/unilateral, bilateral, single-dose) injection was implemented to establish a complex rat model. Then the effects of ELF-EMF exposure on AD development was studied by using the Morris water maze, pathological analysis, and comparative proteomics. The results showed that ELF-EMF exposure delayed the weight gain of rats, and partially improved cognitive and clinicopathologic symptoms of AD rats. The differential proteomic analysis results suggest that synaptic transmission, oxidative stress, protein degradation, energy metabolism, Tau aggregation, and inflammation involved in the effects mentioned above. Therefore, our findings indicate that certain conditions of ELF-EMF exposure could delay the development of AD in rats.

Machine Enhanced Logic

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 directionbenefit

PopulationRat Alzheimer's disease model (D-galactose + Aβ25-35 hippocampal injection)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureELF · 60 d

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Outcomes measured

Spatial memory/cognitive performance (Morris water maze)
Body weight gain
Hippocampal/brain pathology (pathological analysis)
Proteomic changes related to synaptic transmission, oxidative stress, protein degradation, energy metabolism, Tau aggregation, inflammation

Limitations

Sample size not reported in provided abstract/metadata
Mechanistic conclusions are based on proteomic associations as described in the abstract; details not provided

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "animal",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "60 d"
  },
  "population": "Rat Alzheimer's disease model (D-galactose + Aβ25-35 hippocampal injection)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Spatial memory/cognitive performance (Morris water maze)",
    "Body weight gain",
    "Hippocampal/brain pathology (pathological analysis)",
    "Proteomic changes related to synaptic transmission, oxidative stress, protein degradation, energy metabolism, Tau aggregation, inflammation"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In a complex rat model of Alzheimer's disease, ELF-EMF exposure (50 Hz, 400 µT, 60 days) delayed weight gain and partially improved cognitive and clinicopathologic symptoms. Comparative proteomics suggested involvement of pathways including synaptic transmission, oxidative stress, protein degradation, energy metabolism, Tau aggregation, and inflammation.",
  "effect_direction": "benefit",
  "limitations": [
    "Sample size not reported in provided abstract/metadata",
    "Mechanistic conclusions are based on proteomic associations as described in the abstract; details not provided"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields",
    "ELF-EMF",
    "50 Hz",
    "400 µT",
    "Alzheimer's disease",
    "rat model",
    "Morris water maze",
    "hippocampus",
    "Aβ25-35",
    "D-galactose",
    "proteomics",
    "Tau aggregation",
    "oxidative stress",
    "inflammation"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "elf-emf",
      "weight": 0.9,
      "reason": "Animal study using extremely low frequency EMF exposure (50 Hz, 400 µT)"
    }
  ]
}

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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: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126963
PubMed: 25978363

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