Medical/biological Study (experimental study)

Electric field exposure and evidence of stress in mice. med./biol.

PubMed Entry

Journal web site

Aim of study (according to author)
To examine the effect of stress induced by an electric field in six generations of mice.
Background/further details:
Six consecutive generations consisted of ten control pairs of adult mice and ten exposed pairs of adult mice in each generation. The examination of the adrenal glands was performed on young mice (35 days old, n=10), adults (6 months old, n=20) and old mice (18 months, n=10). Blood samples were taken from adult male mice (daytime and nighttime) as well as male and female old mice (only daytime) (n=12 in each group).

Endpoint

• endocrine changes: chronic stress-related endocrine changes

Exposure
General category: electric field, 50/60 Hz (AC)

Field characteristics	Parameters
50 Hz exposure duration: 22 hr/day from conception untill death (35 days - 18 months)	electric field strength: 10 kV/m

Exposed system:
animal (species/strain): mouse/BALB/c
whole body exposure

Methods
Endpoint/Measurement parameters/Methodology

• endocrine changes: chronic stress-related endocrine changes (serum corticosterone level (radioimmunoassay); lipid content of the adrenal cortex (hematoxylin-eosin stain, oil red O stain, light microscopy)

Main outcome of study (according to author)
The mean lipid volume in the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal glands was significantly higher in the exposed adult male group than in the control group. The daytime corticosterone level of the exposed adult male mice was also significantly higher than that of the controls. The lipid profiles and corticosterone values in all other subgroups did not differ significantly.

(Study character: medical/biological study, experimental study, full/main study, blind study)

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• Romo MA et al. (1997): Histopathological changes in mouse adrenal gland under second-generation...
• Picazo ML et al. (1996): Changes in mouse adrenalin gland functionality under second-generation chronic...