Effects of electromagnetic fields on neuronal ion channels a systematic review

" Many aspects of chemistry and biology are mediated by electromagnetic field (EMF) interactions. The central nervous system (CNS) is particularly sensitive to EMF stimuli. Studies have explored the direct effect of different EMFs on the electrical properties of neurons in the last two decades, particularly focusing on the role of voltage-gated ion channels (VGCs). This work aims to systematically review published evidence in the last two decades detailing the effects of EMFs on neuronal ion channels as per the PRISM guidelines. ... Changes in calcium homeostasis, attributable to the voltage-gated calcium channels, were found to be the most commonly reported result of EMF exposure. EMF effects on the neuronal landscape appear to be diverse and greatly dependent on parameters, such as the field's frequency, exposure time, and intrinsic properties of the irradiated tissue, such as the expression of VGCs. Here, we systematically clarify how neuronal ion channels are particularly affected and differentially modulated by EMFs at multiple levels, such as gating dynamics, ion conductance, concentration in the membrane, and gene and protein expression. Ion channels represent a major transducer for EMF-related effects on the CNS." {Credits 1}

" It is worth noting that, in the studies analyzed here, many different exposure times have been used. This variability might account for the many different and sometimes opposite effects reported. The time dependency of EMF exposure–related effects is well known. A 1973 study by Tolgskaya and Gordon reported how, in the first months of exposure to radio waves, the morphological and physiological effects on animals brain are poor and modest, becoming evident and irreversible after longer exposure [107]. Most papers reviewed here investigated acute (up to 2 h) or subchronic exposure (from 2 to 48 h) and could, therefore, have overlooked the effects elicited by longer exposures. Interestingly, all the papers except one [31] reported significant effects after chronic (>48 h) exposure, whatever the type of field used. On the other hand, the rapid increase in intracellular calcium reported in many papers after ELF-EMF exposure seems to go against this line of thinking, pointing toward a direct effect on VGCs. These reasons, in line with the different and various effects of EMF exposure reported, seem to suggest that EMFs could act through more than one mechanism, to differentially influence particular brain areas or neuronal populations according to the exposure time." {Credits 1}

{Credits 1} 🎪 Bertagna, F., Lewis, R., Silva, S. R. P., McFadden, J., & Jeevaratnam, K. (2021). Effects of electromagnetic fields on neuronal ion channels: a systematic review. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. © 2021 The Author(s). This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.