Geophysical Variables and Behavior: Xcix. Reductions in Numbers of Neurons within the Parasolitary Nucleus in Rats Exposed Perinatally to a Magnetic Pattern Designed to Imitate Geomagnetic Continuous Pulsations: Implications for Sudden Infant Death

Abstract

Correlational analyses have shown a moderate strength association between the occurrence of continuous pulsations, a type of geomagnetic activity within the 0.2-Hz to 5-Hz range, and the occurrence of Sudden Infant Deaths. In the present study, rats were exposed continuously from two days before birth to seven days after birth to 0.5-Hz pulsed-square wave magnetic fields whose intensities were within either the nanoTesla or microTesla range. The magnetic fields were generated in either an east-west (E-W) or north-south (N-S) direction. At 21 days of age, the area of the parasolitary nucleus (but not the solitary nucleus) was significantly smaller, and the numbers of neurons were significantly less in rats that had been exposed to the nanoT fields generated in the east-west direction or to the microTesla fields generated within either E-W or N-S direction relative to those exposed to the N-S nanoTesla fields. These results suggest nanoTesla magnetic fields, when applied in a specific direction, might interact with the local geomagnetic field to affect cell migration in structures within the brain stem that modulate vestibular-related arousal and respiratory or cardiovascular stability.