The Effect of Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Anxiety Behaviors and Histomorphometry of Inner Pyramidal Layer Neurons of Frontal Cortex in Adult Male Rat

Low frequency electromagnetic waves have frequencies in the range of 300 KHz to 300 GHz and they are widely available in the environment. The biological effects of these waves are not fully understood on the human body and nervous system. The effects of low frequency electromagnetic waves on behavioural changes as well as the changes in the inner pyramidal neurons of the frontal lobe brain of the adult Wistar male rat were investigated in the present study.

In this experimental study, 20 rats were randomly divided into four groups. The first group was designated as the control group; moreover, experimental groups received 900, 1800 and 2450 MHz waves with the intensities of 2, 1 and 20 watts per kilogram, during one month and for 4 hours per day respectively. Elevated plus-maze test has been used in Behavioural tests. In addition, Golgi cox staining has been used in a hysteromorphometric test including the number of branches and dendritic spines of the inner pyramidal neurons of the frontal lobe.

In experimental groups, Eelectromagnetic waves significantly reduced the number of entry and time spent in rats in the open arms of the Elevated plus-maze test compared to the control group (p ˂ 0.05).The results of historomorphometric study also indicated a significant reduction in the number of dendritic spines and branches of the inner pyramidal neurons of the frontal lobe of the rat brain in experimental groups compared to the control group (p ˂ 0.05).   

Low-frequency electromagnetic radiation caused behavioural changes and it increased the anxiety in rats. Furthermore, it caused damage to the inner pyramidal layer neurons of the frontal cortex in experimental groups.