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Rapid‐onset/offset, variably scheduled 60 Hz electric and magnetic field exposure reduces nocturnal serum melatonin concentration in nonhuman primates
Author(s) -
Rogers Walter R.,
Reiter Russel J.,
Smith Houston D.,
BarlowWalden Lornell
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/bem.2250160712
Subject(s) - melatonin , nocturnal , endocrinology , circadian rhythm , medicine , pineal gland , chemistry
Experiments with rodents indicate that power‐frequency electric field (EF) or magnetic field (MF) exposure can suppress the normal nocturnal increase in melatonin concentration in pineal gland and blood. In a separate set of three experiments conducted with nonhuman primates, we did not observe melatonin suppression as a result of 6 weeks of day‐time exposure to combined 60 Hz electric and magnetic fields (E/MF) with regularly scheduled “slow” E/MF onsets/offsets. The study described here used a different exposure paradigm in which two baboons were exposed to E/MF with “rapid” E/MF onsets/offsets accompanied by EF transients not found with slowly ramped E/MF onset/offset; profound reductions in nocturnal serum melatonin concentration were observed in this experiment. If replicated in a more extensive experiment, the observation of melatonin suppression only in the presence of E/MF transients would suggest that very specific exposure parameters determine the effects of 60 Hz E/MF on melatonin. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.