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Geomagnetic activity and enhanced mortality in rats with acute (epileptic) limbic lability

International Journal of Biometeorology volume 36, pages 226–232 (1992)Cite this article

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Abstract

Presumably unrelated behaviors (e.g. psychiatric admissions, seizures, heart failures) have been correlated with increased global geomagnetic activity. We have suggested that all of these behaviors share a common source of variance. They are evoked by transient, dopamine-mediated paroxysmal electrical patterns that are generated within the amygdala and the hippocampus of the temporal lobes. Both the probability and the propagation of these discharges to distal brain regions are facilitated when nocturnal melatonin levels are suppressed by increased geomagnetic activity. In support of this hypothesis, the present study demonstrated a significant correlation of Pearsonr=0.60 between mortality during the critical 4-day period that followed induction of libic seizures in rats and the ambient geomagnetic activity during the 3 to 4 days that preceded death; the risk increased when the 24 h geomagnetic indices exceeded 20 nT for more than 1 to 2 days.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Neuroscience Program, Laurentian University, P3E 2C6, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

    Yves R. J. Bureau & M. A. Persinger

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  1. Yves R. J. Bureau
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  2. M. A. Persinger
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Bureau, Y.R.J., Persinger, M.A. Geomagnetic activity and enhanced mortality in rats with acute (epileptic) limbic lability. Int J Biometeorol 36, 226–232 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02726403

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02726403

Key words

  • Geomagnetic activity
  • Death
  • Rat
  • Limbic
  • Epilepsy