BEHAVIORAL-EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM EXPOSURE TO MAGNETIC-FIELDS IN RATS

Male rats and pregnant and nonpregnant female rats of the Wistar strai n were sham-exposed or exposed to static (0.49 T) or to extremely low frequency (50 Hz) magnetic fields (0.018 T) 2 h per day for 20 consecu tive days. Measures of irritability, exploratory activity, and locomot ion were made in that order before and after the 4th, 10th, and 17th 2 -h exposures. A reliable decrease in the irritability of rats after re peated exposure to a static or undulating field was found. No signific ant effects of treatment conditions on open-field behavior and locomot or activity were observed. Pregnancy had no influence on the behaviora l end points. These results indicate that irritability of rats may be used as a simple behavioral indicant of mammalian sensitivity to magne tic fields. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.