Magnetoreception and the Search for Magnetic Material in Rodents

Mather, Janice G.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4613-0313-8_25

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The results of a number of other studies have also reported that exposure to stronger static and time-varying magnetic fields have no apparent effects on a variety of measures of learning and memory in laboratory rodents (reviews in Mather 1985;Innis et al 1986;Ossenkopp et al 1986). However, in those studies determinations of performance were made after, rather than during, exposure to the magnetic stimuli.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

“…There is suggestive evidence from a number of species of small rodents for sensitivity to weak magnetic fields and the use of the earth's magnetic (geomagnetic) field or static experimental magnetic fields as a directional or orientation cue (Mather andBaker 1980, 1981;Mather 1985;Bovet et al 1988;Olcese et al 1988;August et al 1989;Burda et al 1990). Although demonstrations of magnetic compass orientation have not been as yet extended to meadow voles, there is evidence for sun compass orientation by meadow voles (Fluharty et al 1976).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One environmental factor that is of growing interest, and impinges on several of the neuromodulatory substrates that have been implicated in the mediation of spatial learning, is magnetic fields. There is accumulating evidence for geomagnetic field detection in rodents (see reviews in Mather 1985;Olcese et al 1988), with the results of several field and laboratory studies suggesting that small rodents may use static magnetic field cues for orientation and homing (Mather andBaker 1980, 1981;Mather 1985;Bovet et al 1988;August et al 1989;Burda et al 1990). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Brief exposure to 60 Hz magnetic fields improves sexually dimorphic spatial learning performance in the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus

1993

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1. This study examined spatial learning and memory in breeding adult male and female meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, and the effects of brief exposure to weak (0.1 mT or 1.0 Gauss rms) 60 Hz magnetic fields on their spatial performance.2. There were significant sex differences in the spatial performance of the polygynous meadow voles. Reproductive male voles displayed significantly better spatial learning and retention than reproductive females in a Morris water maze task, whereby individual voles had to learn and remember the location of a submerged hidden platform using extramaze visual cues. Males showed over 9 days of daily blocks of 4 trials both a faster rate and greater overall level of acquisition (shorter latency to find hidden platform) of the spatial task than did the females.3. Brief (maximum 5 min) exposure to 60 Hz magnetic fields during acquisition of the water maze task significantly enhanced the spatial performance of both the male and female meadow voles. Females showed a relatively greater facilitation of spatial acquisition and retention than did the males, resulting by day 9 in the elimination of sex differences in water maze performance. 4. The time-varying magnetic fields may be: (i) functioning as orientation cues and providing directional cues, and/or (ii) affecting neuromodulatory systems that are involved in the mediation of spatial learning and memory. Exposure to weak time-varying magnetic fields has been shown to attenuate the activity of endogenous opioid systems, enhance protein kinase C (PKC) activity, and alter calcium ion flux. These effects have been shown to affect spatial learning and memory and are consistent with an enhancement of water maze performance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Brief exposure to 60 Hz magnetic fields improves sexually dimorphic spatial learning performance in the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus

1993

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“…In terms of phyletic diversity, magnetite may soon rank as the fourth-most abundant biogenic mineral after calcite, aragonite, and opal. Studies using superconducting magnetometry also indicate the presence of ferromagnetic minerals in tissues of butterflies, shrimps, barnacles, bats, rodents, and humans (Kirschvink 1981, MacFadden & Jones 1985, Buskirk & O'Brien 1985, Perry et al 1985, Buchler & Wasilewski 1985, Mather 1985. Recent discoveries have shown that magnetosomes or magnetosomelike structures are not confined only to the bacteria, but are also present in magnetotactic protoctists (Torres de Araujo et and in higher animals such as pelagic fish (Mann et al 1988).…”

Section: Other Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetofossils, the Magnetization of Sediments, and the Evolution of Magnetite Biomineralization

Chang¹,

Kirschvink²

1989

Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci.

200

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“…Thus, future screens for light-independent, probably magnetite-based magnetoreceptors in this species should focus on the minute eyes of the Ansell's mole-rat which are small enough (~ 2 mm in diameter) to be visualized entirely by techniques such as high-throughput electron microscopy (compare Titze & Genoud, 2016;Graham et al, 2019). There have been attempts to detect magnetite in various rodent tissues (Mather, 1985) but, to our knowledge, no detailed surveys for ocular magnetite have been conducted in any mammal species so far. In transmission electron micrographs, Cernuda-Cernuda et al (2003) noticed electron-dense crystalloid bodies in photoreceptors of the Ansell's mole-rat and speculated that these consist of magnetite.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eyes are essential for magnetoreception in a mammal

Caspar

Moldenhauer

Moritz

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Several groups of mammals use the Earth's magnetic field for orientation, but their magnetosensory organ remains unknown. The Ansell's mole-rat (Fukomys anselli) is a subterranean rodent with innate magnetic orientation behavior. Previous studies proposed that its magnetoreceptors are located in the eye. To test this hypothesis, we assessed magnetic orientation in enucleated mole-rats.Initially, we demonstrate that enucleation of mole-rats does not lead to changes in routine behaviors. We then studied magnetic compass orientation by employing a well-established nest building assay. To ensure that directional responses were based on magnetic parameters, we tested animals under four magnetic field alignments. In line with previous studies, control animals exhibited a significant preference to build nests in magnetic south-east. In contrast, enucleated mole-rats built nests in random magnetic orientations, suggesting an impairment of their magnetic sense. The results provide robust support for the hypothesis that mole-rats perceive magnetic fields with their minute eyes.

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Magnetoreception and the Search for Magnetic Material in Rodents

Cited by 13 publications

References 38 publications

Brief exposure to 60 Hz magnetic fields improves sexually dimorphic spatial learning performance in the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus

Brief exposure to 60 Hz magnetic fields improves sexually dimorphic spatial learning performance in the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus

Magnetofossils, the Magnetization of Sediments, and the Evolution of Magnetite Biomineralization

Eyes are essential for magnetoreception in a mammal

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