Electromagnetic fields modulate neuronal membrane ionic currents through altered cellular calcium homeostasis.

PAPER pubmed Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2025 Animal study Effect: harm Evidence: Low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15386 PMID: 40568874 Evidence Lab

Abstract

The biological effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on the central nervous system (CNS) have been widely reported in the literature. Their nature and extent are thought to depend on parameters such as field intensity and frequency. Of these, extremely low-frequency (50 Hz) fields have been reported to influence neuronal firing in CNS regions, including the hippocampus. We applied the loose patch clamp technique to study the effects of 1 mT exposures of such fields over the course of 60 min on cornus ammonis 1 (CA1) pyramidal neuron membranes in coronal hippocampal slices. Such exposure decreased both inward and transient outward currents. Pharmacological blockers of ryanodine receptor (RyR)-dependent Ca release (dantrolene) and endoplasmic reticular Ca store reuptake (SERCA; cyclopiazonic acid) both abrogated these effects. We thus implicate Ca homeostasis in an EMF-induced modulation of neuronal excitability through its regulation of voltage-gated channels.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Animal study

Effect direction

harm

Population

CA1 pyramidal neuron membranes in coronal hippocampal slices

Sample size

—

Exposure

ELF · 5.0E-5 MHz · 60 min

Evidence strength

Low

Confidence: 74% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

Exposure to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields at 1 mT for 60 min decreased both inward and transient outward currents in CA1 pyramidal neuron membranes in hippocampal slices. Blockers of RyR-dependent Ca release (dantrolene) and SERCA-mediated Ca store reuptake (cyclopiazonic acid) abrogated these effects, implicating altered cellular calcium homeostasis in the observed modulation.

Outcomes measured

Neuronal membrane ionic currents (inward current, transient outward current)
Neuronal excitability (via modulation of voltage-gated channels)
Role of Ca homeostasis mechanisms (RyR-dependent Ca release; SERCA-mediated Ca store reuptake)

Limitations

Sample size not reported in the abstract
Study conducted in hippocampal slices; generalizability to intact organisms or humans is not stated
Exposure parameters beyond frequency, intensity, and duration (e.g., waveform, field configuration) are not described in the abstract

Suggested hubs

elf-emf-neuroscience (0.86)
ELF (50 Hz) exposure studied with electrophysiology in hippocampal neurons; CNS/neural excitability outcomes.
mechanisms-calcium-signaling (0.78)
Effects were abrogated by RyR and SERCA pharmacological blockers, implicating calcium homeostasis mechanisms.

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "animal",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "ELF",
        "source": null,
        "frequency_mhz": 5.00000000000000023960868011929647991564706899225711822509765625e-5,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "60 min"
    },
    "population": "CA1 pyramidal neuron membranes in coronal hippocampal slices",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "Neuronal membrane ionic currents (inward current, transient outward current)",
        "Neuronal excitability (via modulation of voltage-gated channels)",
        "Role of Ca homeostasis mechanisms (RyR-dependent Ca release; SERCA-mediated Ca store reuptake)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Exposure to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields at 1 mT for 60 min decreased both inward and transient outward currents in CA1 pyramidal neuron membranes in hippocampal slices. Blockers of RyR-dependent Ca release (dantrolene) and SERCA-mediated Ca store reuptake (cyclopiazonic acid) abrogated these effects, implicating altered cellular calcium homeostasis in the observed modulation.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Sample size not reported in the abstract",
        "Study conducted in hippocampal slices; generalizability to intact organisms or humans is not stated",
        "Exposure parameters beyond frequency, intensity, and duration (e.g., waveform, field configuration) are not described in the abstract"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "electromagnetic fields",
        "ELF",
        "50 Hz",
        "1 mT",
        "hippocampus",
        "CA1 pyramidal neurons",
        "loose patch clamp",
        "ionic currents",
        "voltage-gated channels",
        "calcium homeostasis",
        "ryanodine receptor",
        "SERCA",
        "dantrolene",
        "cyclopiazonic acid"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "elf-emf-neuroscience",
            "weight": 0.85999999999999998667732370449812151491641998291015625,
            "reason": "ELF (50 Hz) exposure studied with electrophysiology in hippocampal neurons; CNS/neural excitability outcomes."
        },
        {
            "slug": "mechanisms-calcium-signaling",
            "weight": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
            "reason": "Effects were abrogated by RyR and SERCA pharmacological blockers, implicating calcium homeostasis mechanisms."
        }
    ]
}

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

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