Regional turnover of norepinephrine and dopamine in rat brain following acute exposure to air ions

Abstract

Exposure to air ions has been reported to influence serotonin (5HT), although critical reviews of these studies and previous measurements in our laboratory of the concentration, release, and utilization of brain 5HT indicate that neither the data nor the interpretations of the data are particularly convincing. Measurements of other possibly relevant neurotransmitter systems--norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA)--were made in brain regions selected because of their importance in the modulation of brain functions relating to motivation, arousal, endocrine function, and motor activity, all responses that have been reported to be influenced by air ion exposure. Results indicate that exposure of male Holtzman rats to high concentrations (5.0 X 10(5)/cm3) of positive or negative air ions or to DC electric fields (3.0 kV/m) for periods up to 66 h failed to affect the concentration of NE or DA significantly in any of the brain regions.

HVDC power transmission environmental issues review

“…Three recent studies, however, using exposures of 500,000 to 1.5 million ions/cm3 for similar periods showed no effect on serotonin or serotonin precursors and metabolites (Dowdall and de Montigny, 1985;and Bailey and Charry, 1987). In addition, Charry and Bailey (1 985) failed to find any effect of air ion exposures on the concentration and utilization of norepinephrine and dopamine -two other neurotransmitters in brain (Charry and Bailey, 1985). These studies by Bailey and Charry which reported no effects on serotonin or catecholamine metabolism are the only ones conducted under carefully environmentally controlled conditions.…”

Biological effects of exposure to static electric fields in humans and vertebrates: a systematic review

“…Five studies were identified that investigated the effects of static EF on the nervous system of rats and mice [38, 40, 56–58], but the results of these studies have not been replicated thus far. Exposure durations were between 50 min and 35 days and the applied EF strengths varied between 3 kV/m and 23.8 kV/m.…”

“…Four of these studies examined various neurotransmitter concentrations in the brains of rodents, but the results were inconsistent [38, 40, 56, 57]. Möse et al [56] reported significantly reduced serotonin levels in the brain of guinea pigs that had been exposed to a static EF (23.8 kV/m for 6 days).…”

Environmental and social impacts of electricity utilization: broadening the debate

“…The other studies considered here used 11-12 h daylengths, with both Krueger and Kotaka (1969) and Diamond et al (1980) using clear plastic animal housings. Only Charry and Bailey (1985) and Charry (1986, 1987) were unable to detect any significant effects resulting from exposure of rats to electrically altered environments, within grounded stainless steel exposure chambers.As noted by Charry (1984, p. 352), however, air ions will be attracted to grounded components of experimental apparatus. Charry et al (1983) had originally developed ion exposure chambers of wood and glass construction, but no animal exposure experiments with these chambers were reported, and stainless steel exposure chambers were subsequently developed ).…”

“…Work at the University of California on short timescale influences on brain levels of serotonin in mice exposed, in perspex chambers, to artificial air ions (Krueger and Kotaka 1969) has been widely reported but could not be verified by Bailey and Charry (1987) using animal exposure chambers of grounded stainless steel ). These authors used a single sampling time in all their experiments (Bailey and Charry 1987;Charry and Bailey 1985), sampling 3 h after the end of the dark period. The timing of ion exposure in Krueger's experiments is unclear however (Krueger and Kotaka 1969, p. 33), and some treatments may have ended 4 h after the onset of darkness.…”