Physical activity as an option to reduce adverse effect of EMF exposure during pregnancy

Int J Dev Neurosci. 2018 Dec:71:10-17. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2018.07.009. Epub 2018 Aug 1.

Abstract

The popularity of using wireless fidelity over the last decades increased apprehensions about impact of high frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) on health. Most of previous studies mentioned adverse effect of EMF on cognitive processes, but so far, no study has provided a way to control adverse effects of EMF exposure. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of Wi-Fi EMF and physical activity on spatial learning and motor function in pregnant rat's offspring. Forty Albino-Wistar pregnant rats divided randomly into four groups (EMF, physical activity, combined 2.4GHZ EMF and physical activity and control groups). For assessing spatial learning in 56 post-natal days' old (PND) male offspring, Morris Water Maze (MWM) was used and to examine motor function Open-field test was taken. Although results of MWM test revealed that Wi-Fi modem EMF caused impairment in spatial learning in rats exposed to EMF but physical activity could reduce negative effect of EMF in pregnant rat's offspring who exposed during pregnancy but performed swimming. In addition, results of open-field test showed that litter's motor function in EMF group significantly declined in comparison with physical activity and combined 2.4GHZ EMF and physical activity groups. According to our findings, it can be concluded that execution physical activity individually or along with wave-exposed pregnancy can significantly progressive effect on offspring' cognitive and motor functions.

Keywords: Electromagnetic field; MWM; Motor function; Open-field; Spatial memory; Swimming.

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Avoidance Learning / physiology
  • Avoidance Learning / radiation effects
  • Electromagnetic Fields / adverse effects*
  • Exploratory Behavior / physiology
  • Exploratory Behavior / radiation effects
  • Female
  • Male
  • Maze Learning / physiology
  • Maze Learning / radiation effects
  • Mental Recall / physiology
  • Mental Recall / radiation effects
  • Motor Activity / radiation effects*
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal / methods*
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
  • Pregnancy / radiation effects*
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / etiology
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / physiopathology
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / prevention & control*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Reaction Time / radiation effects
  • Spatial Learning / radiation effects*
  • Swimming / physiology