Why are living things sensitive to weak magnetic fields?

Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine

Volumn 33, Issue 3, 2014, Pages 241-245

  Liboff, Abraham R ^a  

^a OAKLAND UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

Biological clock; Chronodisruption; Cryptochrome; Magnetic diurnal change; Melatonin; Weak field interactions

Indexed keywords

BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS; CLOCKS; GEOMAGNETISM; UPPER ATMOSPHERE;

BIOLOGICAL CLOCK; CHRONODISRUPTION; CRYPTOCHROMES; DIURNAL CHANGES; MELATONIN;

MAGNETIC FIELDS;

ADAPTATION; ANIMAL; ASTRONOMY; CIRCADIAN RHYTHM; ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE; MAGNETIC FIELD; MOLECULAR EVOLUTION;

ADAPTATION, PHYSIOLOGICAL; ANIMALS; CIRCADIAN RHYTHM; ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE; EVOLUTION, MOLECULAR; MAGNETIC FIELDS; SOLAR SYSTEM;

EID: 84891744921     PISSN: 15368378     EISSN: 15368386     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.3109/15368378.2013.809579     Document Type: Article

References (49)

1. Alberto, D., Busso, L., Garfagnini, R., et al. (2008). Effects of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields on L-glutamic acid aqueous solutions at 20, 40, and 60 micro T magnetic fields. Electrom. Biol. Med. 27: 241-253.
2. Beason, R. C. (2005). Mechanisms of magnetic orientations in birds. Integr. Comp. Biol. 45:565-573.
3. Belyaev, I. Y., Alipov, E. D. (2001). Frequency-dependent effects of ELF on chromatin conformation in Escherichia coli cells and human lymphocytes. Biophys. Biochim. Acta 1526:269-276.
4. Berk, M., Dodd, S., Henry, M. (2006). Do ambient electromagnetic fields affect behavior? A demonstration of the relationship between geomagnetic storm activity and suicide. Bioelectromagnetics 27: 151-155.
5. Blanchard, J. P., Blackman, C. F. (1994). Clarification and application of an ion parametric resonance model for magnetic field interactions with biological systems. Bioelectromagnetics 15:217-238.
6. Brainard, G. C., Hanifin, J. P., Greeson, J. M., et al. (2001). Action spectrum for melatonin production in humans: evidence for a novel circadian photoreceptor. J. Neurosci. 21:6405-6412.
7. Brown, F. A., Chow, C. S. (1973). Lunar correlated variations in water uptake by bean seeds. Biol. Bull. 145:265-278.
8. Cashmore, A. R. (2003). Cryptochromes: enabling plants and to determine circadian time. Cell 114:537-543.
9. Chapman, S. (1918). Diurnal changes of the earth's magnetism. The Observatory 41:52-60.
10. Close, J. (2012). Are stress responses to geomagnetic storms mediated by the cryptochrome compass system? Proc. Biol. Sci. 279:2081-2090.
11. Cosarrizza, A., Monti, D., Bersani, F., et al. (1989). Extremely low frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields increase cell proliferation in lymphocytes from young and aged subjects. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 160:692-698.
12. Del Giudice, E., Fleischmann, H., Preparata, G., Talpo, G. (2002). On the ''unreasonable'' effects of ELF magnetic fields upon a system of ions. Bioelectromagnetics 23:522-530.
13. Dull, T., Dull, B. (1935). Correlations between disturbances in terrestrial magnetism and frequency of deaths (in German). Deutsch Med Wochensohr 61:95-97.
14. Erren, T. C., Pape, H. G., Reiter, R. J., Piekarski, C. (2008). Chronodisruption and cancer. Naturwissenschaften 95:367-382.
15. Fitzsimmons, R. J., Ryaby, J. T., Mohan, S., et al. (1995). Combined magnetic fields increase insulin-like growth factor II in TE-85 human osteosarcoma cell cultures. Endocrinology 136:3100-3106.
16. Frankel, R. B., Blakemore R. P., Wolfe, R. S. (1979). Magnetite in freshwater magnetotactic bacteria. Science 203:1355-1356.
17. Friedman, H., Becker, R. O., Bachman, C. H. (1963). Geomagnetic parameters and psychiatric hospital admissions. Nature 200:626-628.
18. Gaetani, R., Ledda, M., Barile, L., et al. (2009). Differentiation of human adult cardiac stem cells expose to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields. Cardiovasc. Res. 82:411-420.
19. Galland, P., Pazur, A. (2005). Magnetoreception in plants. J. Plant Res. 118:371-389.
20. Goodman, R., Henderson, A. S. (1988). Exposure of salivary gland cells to low-frequency electromagnetic fields alters polypeptide synthesis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:3928-3932.
21. Henshaw D. L., Reiter, R. J. (2005). Do magnetic fields cause increased risk of childhood leukaemia via melatonin disruption? Bioelectromagnetics 7:86-97.
22. Hitchman, A. P., Lilley, F. E. M., Campbell, W. H. (1998). The quiet daily variation in the total magnetic field: global curves. Geophys. Res. Lett. 25:2007-2010.
23. Jenrow, K. A., Smith C., Liboff, A. R. (1995). Weak ELF fields and regeneration in the planarian Dugesia tigrina. Bioelectromagnetics 16: 106-112.
24. Lednev, V. V. (1991). Possible mechanism for the influence of weak magnetic fields on biological systems. Bioelectromagnetics 12:71-75.
25. Liboff, A. R. (1985). Geomagnetic cyclotron resonance in living cells. J. Biol. Phys. 13:99-102.
26. Liedvogel, M., Mouritsen, H. (2010). Cryptochromes - a potential magnetoreceptor. J. R. Soc. Interface 7:S147-S162.
27. Mendoza, B., Diaz-Sandoval, R. (2000). Relationships between solar activity and myocardial infarction in Mexico City. Geofis. Int. 39: 53-56.
28. Novikov, V. V., Fesenko, E. E. (2001). Hydrolysis of some peptides and proteins in a weak combined (constant and low-frequency variable) magnetic field. Biophysics 46:233-238.
29. Novikova, K. F., Ryvkin, B. A. (1977). Solar activity and cardiovascular disease. In: Gneyshev, M. N., Ol, A. J. eds., Effect of Solar Activity on the Earth's Surface and Biosphere. Acad Sci USSR. (Translated from the Russian). Jerusalem: Israel Program Scientific Translations. pp. 184-200.
30. Novikov, V. V., Sheiman, I. M., Fesenko, E. E. (2008). Effect of weak static and low-frequency alternating magnetic fields on the fission and regeneration of the planarian dugesia (Girardia) tigrina. Bioelectromagnetics 29:387-393.
31. Olcese, J., Reuss, S., Vollrath, L. (1985). Evidence for the involvement of the visual system in modulating magnetic field effects on pineal melatonin synthesis in the rat. Brain Res. 333:382-384.
32. Pazur, A. (2004). Characterisation of weak magnetic field effects in an aqueous glutamic acid solution by nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy and voltammetry. Available from: http://www.biomagres.com/content/ 2/1/8 (accessed 8 Jun 2013).
33. Prato, F. S., Kavaliers, M., Carson, J. J. (1996). Behavioral evidence that magnetic field effects in the land snail Cepaea nemoralis might not depend on magnetite or induced electric currents. Bioelectromagnetics 17:123-130.
34. Reiter, R. J. (1993). Static and extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposures: reported effects on the circadian production of melatonin. J. Cell Biochem. 51:393-403.
35. Ritz, T., Adem, S., Schulten, K. (2000). A model for photoreceptor-based magnetoreception in birds. Biophys. J. 78:707-718.
36. Sancar, A. (2000). Cryptochrome: the second photoactive pigment in the eye and its role in circadian photoreception. Ann. Rev. Biochem. 69:31-67.
37. Selmaoui, B., Touitou, Y. (1995). Sinusoidal 50-Hz magnetic fields depress rat pineal NAT activity and serum melatonin. Role of duration and intensity of exposure. Life Sci. 57:1351-1358.
38. Semm, P., Beason, R. C. (1990). Responses to small magnetic variations by the trigeminal system of the bobolink. Brain Res. Bull. 25:735-740.
39. Smith, S. D., Liboff A. R., McLeod, B. R. (1991). Effects of resonant magnetic fields on chick femoral development in vitro. Electrom. Biol. Med. 10:81-89.
40. Smith, S. D., Liboff, A. R., McLeod, B. R., Barr, E. J. (1992). Effects of ion resonance tuned magnetic fields on N-18 neuroblastoma cells. In: Allen, M. J., Cleary, S. F., Sowers, A. E., Shillady, D. D., eds. Charge and Field Effects in Biosystems - 3. Boston: Birkhauser. pp. 263-272.
41. Smith, S. D., McLeod, B. R., Liboff A. R., Cooksey, K. E. (1987). Calcium cyclotron resonance and diatom motility. Bioelectromagnetics 8:215-227.
42. Stevens, R. G. (2006). Circadian disruption and breast cancer: from melatonin to clock genes. Epidemiology 16:254-258.
43. Thomas, J. R., Schrot, J., Liboff, A. R. (1986). Low-intensity magnetic fields alter operant behavior in rats. Bioelectromagnetics 7:349-357.
44. Vincze, G., Szasz, A., Liboff, A. R. (2008). New theoretical treatment of ion resonance phenomena. Bioelectromagnetics 29:380-386.
45. Vorobyov, V. V., Sosunov, E. A., Kukushkin, N. I., Lednev, V. V. (1998). Weak combined magnetic field affects basic and morphine-induced rat's induced EEG. Brain Res. 781:182-187.
46. Webb, H. M., Brown Jr, F. A. (1965). Interaction of diurnal and tidal rhythms of activity in the fiddler crab, Uca Pugnax. Biol. Bull. 129: 582-591.
47. Wiltschko, W., Wiltschko, R. (1972). Magnetic compass of European robins. Science 176:62-64.
48. Zhadin, M. N., Deryugina, O. N., Pisachenko, T. M. (1999). Influence of combined DC and AC magnetic fields on rat behavior. Bioelectromagnetics 20:378-386.
49. Zhadin, M. N., Novikov, V. V., Barnes, F. S., Pergola, N. F. (1998). Combined action of static and alternating magnetic fields on ionic current in aqueous glutamic acid solution. Bioelectromagnetics 19: 41-45.