Abstract
The electric activities of neurons serve as a foundation for normal brain functions. Electromagnetic radiation has a significant impact on neuronal activity in the brain, especially when cell phone is used extensively. To understand this mechanism, we developed a mathematical model aiming at describing the effect of electromagnetic radiation on neuronal firing activity by introducing an additional membrane current into the Hodgkin–Huxley neuron model. The results show that the neuronal firing activity of a single neuron can be suppressed by electromagnetic radiation. Besides, the spatiotemporal patterns of neuronal network are also suppressed from the stable propagating wave state to a homogeneous resting state. Our studies suggest that the electromagnetic radiation has a suppressive effect on neuronal firing activities, especially on the collective electric activities of neuronal network that is related to information processing.
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.References
Adey, W.R.: Introduction: effect of electromagnetic radiation on the nervous system. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 247, 15–20 (1975)
Persson, B.R., Salford, L.G., Brun, A., Eberhardt, J.L., Malmgren, L.: Increased permeability of the blood–brain barrier induced by magnetic and electromagnetic fields. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 649, 356–358 (1992)
Rianne, S.: Electromagnetic fields and the blood–brain barrier. Brain Res. Rev. 65, 80–95 (2010)
Sirav, B., Seyhan, N.: Effects of radiofrequency radiation exposure on blood–brain barrier permeability in male and female rats. Electromagn. Biol. Med. 30(4), 253–260 (2011)
Zhao, T.Y., Zou, S.P., Pamela, E.K.: Exposure to cell phone radiation up-regulates apoptosis genes in primary cultures of neurons and astrocytes. Neurosci. Lett. 412, 34–38 (2007)
Sylvie, B., Amandine, M., Faraj, T., Philippe, L., Alice, C., Catherine, Y.: Study of p53 expression and post-transcriptional modifications after GSM-900 radiofrequency exposure of human amniotic cells. Bioelectromagnetics 34, 52–60 (2013)
Sakurai, T., Kiyokawa, T., Narita, E., Suzuki, Y., Taki, M., Miyakoshi, J.: Analysis of gene expression in a human-derived glial cell line exposed to 2.45 GHz continuous radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. J. Rad. Res. 52, 185–192 (2011)
Juan, C., Trivino, P., Settimio, G., Monia, T., Ilaria, N., Caterina, C.: Microwave electromagnetic field regulates gene expression in T-lymphoblastoid leukemia CCRF-CEM cell line exposed to 900 MHz. Electromag. Biol. Med. 31, 1–18 (2012)
Semra, T.C., Nesrin, S.: Single-strand DNA breaks in human hair root cells exposed to mobile phone radiation. Int. J. Rad. Biol. 88, 420–424 (2012)
Kesari, K.K., Siddiqui, M.H., Meena, R., Verma, H.N., Kumar, S.: Cell phone radiation exposure on brain and associated biological systems. Indian J. Exp. Biol. 51(3), 187–200 (2013)
Wu, J.Y., Huang, X.Y., Zhuang, C.: Propagating waves of activity in the neocortex: what they are, what they do. Neuroscientist 14, 487–503 (2008)
Tim, W., Kentaroh, T., Michael, T.L., Jürgen, G., Frank, W.O.: Wave propagation of cortical population activity under urethane anesthesia is state dependent. BMC Neurosci. 14, 78–96 (2013)
Takahashi, K., Saleh, M., Penn, R.D., Hatsopoulos, N.G.: Propagating waves in human motor cortex. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 5, 1–8 (2011)
Xu, W., Huang, X., Takagaki, K., Wu, J.Y.: Compression and reflection of visually evoked cortical waves. Neuron 55, 119–129 (2007)
Doug, R., Kay, A.R., Nicholas, G.H.: Propagating waves mediate information transfer in the motor cortex. Nat. Neurosci. 9, 1549–1558 (2006)
James, F.A.P., Carl, C.H.P.: Internal brain state regulates membrane potential synchrony in barrel cortex of behaving mice. Nature 454, 881–885 (2008)
Gordon, C.J., Long, M.D., Fehlner, K.S., Stead, A.G.: Body temperature in the mouse, hamster, and rat exposed to radiofrequency radiation: an interspecies comparison. J. Thermal Biol. 11, 59–65 (1986)
Adair, E.R., Adams, B.W.: Behavioral thermoregulation in the squirrel monkey: adaptation processes during prolonged microwave exposure. Behav. Neurosci. 97, 49–61 (1983)
Wachtel, H., Seaman, R., Joines, W.: Effects of low-intensity microwave on isolated neurons. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 247, 46–62 (1975)
Chou, C.K., Guy, A.W.: Effects of electromagnetic fields on isolated nerve and muscle preparations. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech. 26, 141–147 (1978)
Cain, C.A.: A theoretical basis for microwave and RF field effects on excitable cellular membranes. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech. 28, 142–147 (1980)
Apollonio, F., Liberti, M., D’Inzeo, G., Tarricone, L.: Integrated models for the analysis of biological effects of EM fields used for mobile communications. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech. 48, 2082–2093 (2000)
Giannì, M., Liberti, M., Apollonio, F., D’Inzeo, G.: Modeling electromagnetic fields detectability in a HH-like neuronal system: stochastic resonance and window behavior. Biol. Cybern. 94, 118–127 (2006)
Apollonio, F., Liberti, M., Paffi, A., Merla, C., Marracino, P., Denzi, A., Marino, C., d’Inzeo, G.: Feasibility for microwaves energy to affect biological systems via nonthermal mechanisms: a systematic approach, microwave theory and techniques. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech. 61, 2031–2045 (2013)
Hodgkin, A.L., Huxley, A.F.: A quantitative description of membrane current and its application to conduction and excitation in nerve. J. Physiol. 117(4), 500–544 (1952)
McCormick, D.A., Shu, Y.S., Yu, Y.G.: Hodgkin and Huxley model-still standing? Nature 445, E1–E2 (2007)
Yu, Y.G., Hill, A.P., McCormick, D.A.: Warm body temperature facilitates energy efficient cortical action potentials. PLoS Comput. Biol. 8, 1–16 (2012)
Foust, A.J., Yu, Y.G., Popovic, M., Zecevic, D., McCormick, D.A.: Somatic membrane potential and Kv1 channels control spike repolarization in cortical axon collaterals and presynaptic boutons. J. Neurosci. 31, 15490–15498 (2011)
Moujahid, A., d’Anjou, A., Torrealdea, F.J.: Energy and information in Hodgkin–Huxley neurons. Phys. Rev. E. 83, 031912 (2011)
Moujahid, A., d’Anjou, A., Torrealdea, F.J., Torrealdea, F.: Efficient synchronization of structurally adaptive coupled Hindmarsh–Rose neurons. Chaos Solitons Fract. 44, 929–933 (2011)
Torrealdea, F.J., Sarasola, C., Anjou, A.: Energy consumption and information transmission in model neurons. Chaos Solitons Fract. 40, 60–68 (2009)
Torrealdea, F.J., Sarasola, C., d’Anjoua, A., Moujahida, A., de Mendizábalc, N.V.: Energy efficiency of information transmission by electrically coupled neurons. BioSystems 97, 60–71 (2009)
Ma, J., Hu, B.L., Wang, C.N., Jin, W.Y.: Simulating the formation of spiral wave in the neuronal system. Nonlinear Dyn. 73, 73–83 (2013)
Ma, J., Huang, L., Tang, J., Ying, H.P., Jin, W.Y.: Spiral wave death, breakup induced by ion channel poisoning on regular Hodgkin–Huxley neuronal networks. Commun. Nonlinear Sci. Numer. Simul. 17, 4281–4293 (2012)
Wang, C.N., Ma, J., Liu, Y., Huang, L.: Chaos control, spiral wave formation, and the emergence of spatiotemporal chaos in networked Chua circuits. Nonlinear Dyn. 67, 139–146 (2012)
Liu, S.B., Wu, Y., Li, J.J., Xie, Y., Tan, N.: The dynamic behavior of spiral waves in stochastic Hodgkin–Huxley neuronal networks with ion channel blocks. Nonlinear Dyn. 73, 1055–1063 (2013)
Wu, Y., Li, J.J., Liu, S.B., Pang, J.Z., Du, M.M., Lin, P.: Noise-induced spatiotemporal patterns in Hodgkin–Huxley neuronal network. Cogn. Neurodyn. 7, 431–440 (2013)
Ren, G.D., Wu, G., Ma, J., Chen, Y.: Simulation of electric activity of neuron by setting up a reliable neuronal circuit driven by electric autapse. Acta Phys. Sin. 64, 58702–058702 (2015)
Qin, H.X., Ma, J., Jin, W.Y., Wang, C.N.: Dynamics of electric activities in neuron and neurons of network induced by autapses. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 57, 936–946 (2014)
Acknowledgments
We thank Dr. Jun Ma and Jinzhi Lei for their helpful comments. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11472202 and No.11272242) and the Natural Science Foundation in Shaanxi Province of China (No. S2014JC12575).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Li, J., Liu, S., Liu, W. et al. Suppression of firing activities in neuron and neurons of network induced by electromagnetic radiation. Nonlinear Dyn 83, 801–810 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11071-015-2368-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11071-015-2368-7