The effect of exposure to low frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) as an integral part of the housing system on anxiety-related behaviour, cognition and welfare in two strains of laboratory mouse.

PloS one · 2018 · No effect · Moderate evidence

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No effectModerate evidencePaper 5541

In 80 mice of two strains housed with an EMF plate turned on versus off for six weeks, there were strong strain differences in multiple measures, but no significant effects of EMF treatment on any behavioural, cognitive, or welfare measures collected.

Study snapshot

PublicationPloS one · 2018

Study typeother

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingModerate

Abstract

Electromagnetic field (EMF) technology has the potential to improve scientific data capture and welfare assessment by allowing automated data collection from individual cages. However, it is important to determine any impact that a new technology itself may have on animal welfare, and previous studies have found contrasting results of EMF on laboratory rodent anxiety-like behaviour and cognition. We therefore investigated whether there was an effect of low frequency EMF experienced continuously over a six-week period, as an integral part of the animal housing system, on measures of mouse anxiety-related behaviour, cognition and welfare. We housed mice (N = 80) of two strains (BALB/cAnNCrl and C57BL/6NCrl) separately in Individually Ventilated Cages (IVCs) in groups of four, either with the EMF plate turned 'on' or 'off' (n = 5). Some measures, e.g. food and water utilisation, were collected at regular intervals, whereas measures of anxiety-like behaviour (e.g. open field test) and cognitive performance (novel-object recognition test) were collected only at the end of the study. We found expected strong strain differences in most measures, e.g. latency to leave the starting square in an open field test, with C57BL/6NCrl mice moving away sooner, and interactions between strain and time for those measures recorded at more than one time point, e.g. significant weight gain over time for both strains, but with BALB/cAnNCrl mice weighing more. However, we found no significant effects of treatment (EMF 'on'/'off') for any of the measures collected. These results indicate that, for the measures recorded here, there was no measurable impact on the behaviour and welfare of low frequency EMF exposure experienced continuously over a six-week period. Housing systems that include EMF monitoring technology may therefore be suitable for use without influencing either animal welfare or scientific outcomes.

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 typeother

Effect directionno_effect

PopulationLaboratory mice (BALB/cAnNCrl and C57BL/6NCrl strains) housed in individually ventilated cages

Sample size80

ExposureELF · continuous over six-week period

Evidence strengthModerateConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Outcomes measured

Anxiety-related behaviour (e.g., open field test measures such as latency to leave starting square)
Cognition (novel-object recognition test)
Welfare-related measures including food and water utilisation
Body weight/weight gain over time

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "other",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF",
    "source": "animal housing system (EMF monitoring plate in IVC cages)",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "continuous over six-week period"
  },
  "population": "Laboratory mice (BALB/cAnNCrl and C57BL/6NCrl strains) housed in individually ventilated cages",
  "sample_size": 80,
  "outcomes": [
    "Anxiety-related behaviour (e.g., open field test measures such as latency to leave starting square)",
    "Cognition (novel-object recognition test)",
    "Welfare-related measures including food and water utilisation",
    "Body weight/weight gain over time"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In 80 mice of two strains housed with an EMF plate turned on versus off for six weeks, there were strong strain differences in multiple measures, but no significant effects of EMF treatment on any behavioural, cognitive, or welfare measures collected.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [],
  "evidence_strength": "moderate",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "low frequency electromagnetic fields",
    "ELF EMF",
    "animal welfare",
    "anxiety-like behaviour",
    "cognition",
    "open field test",
    "novel-object recognition",
    "individually ventilated cages",
    "BALB/cAnNCrl",
    "C57BL/6NCrl"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "occupational-exposure",
      "weight": 0.1,
      "reason": "Exposure occurred as part of an animal housing system; not clearly occupational but relates to environmental/setting-based exposure assessment."
    }
  ]
}

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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.0197054
PubMed: 29771983

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