Thermal Analgesic Effects from Weak, Complex Magnetic Fields: Critical Parameters

The Influence of Burst-Firing EMF on Forskolin-Induced Pheochromocytoma (PC12) Plasma Membrane Extensions

Previous research has demonstrated that pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells treated with forskolin provides a model for the in vitro examination of neuritogenesis. Exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs), especially those which have been designed to mimic biological function, can influence the functions of various biological systems. We aimed to assess whether exposure of PC12 cells treated with forskolin to patterned EMF would produce more plasma membrane extensions (PME) as compared to PC12 cells treated with forskolin alone (i.e., no EMF exposure). In addition, we aimed to determine whether the differences observed between the proportion of PME of PC12 cells treated with forskolin and exposed to EMF were specific to the intensity, pattern, or timing of the applied EMF. Our results showed an overall increase in PME for PC12 cells treated with forskolin and exposed to Burst-firing EMF as compared to PC12 cells receiving forskolin alone. No other patterned EMF investigated were deemed to be effective. Furthermore, intensity and timing of the Burst-firing pattern did not significantly alter the proportion of PME of PC12 cells treated with forskolin and exposed to patterned EMF.

Pain perception and electromagnetic fields

A substantial body of evidence has accumulated showing that exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) affects pain sensitivity (nociception) and pain inhibition (analgesia). Consistent inhibitory effects of acute exposures to various EMFs on analgesia have been demonstrated in most studies. This renders examinations of changes in the expression of analgesia and nociception a particularly valuable means of addressing the biological effects of and mechanisms underlying the actions of EMFs. Here we provide an overview of the effects of various EMFs on nociceptive sensitivity and analgesia, with particular emphasis on opioid-mediated responses. We also describe the analgesic effects of particular specific EMFs, the effects of repeated exposures to EMFs and magnetic shielding, along with the dependence of EMF effects on lighting conditions. We further consider some of the underlying cellular and biophysical mechanisms along with the clinical implications of these effects of various EMFs.