Background: There has been considerable interest in both the lay and scientific media concerning the putative effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields. An assessment of the effects of static magnet exposure on neurochemistry was undertaken to determine potential risks to patients and staff involved with magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy.
Methods: One set of rats were exposed to weak static field (800 gauss [G]) in an otherwise normal laboratory surrounding. Another set of rats were exposed to 7-Tesla fields, both with suitable controls.
Results: Exposure of rats (n=8) to weak static fields for periods between 12 hours and 8 days produced no significant change in nighttime pineal or serum melatonin levels, as compared to controls, nor did it significantly influence levels of pontine medullary 5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT] and hypothalamic 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid [5-HIAA]. Placing rats in a 7-Tesla MRI magnet for 45 minutes produced similar results.
Conclusions: These experiments suggest that daily light/dark cycle has much greater influence on levels of melatonin, catecholamines, serotonin, or their metabolites than does exposure to a static magnetic field.