Effects of ELF Fields on Calcium-Ion Efflux from Brain Tissue in Vitro

It has been previously demonstrated that carrier waves of 50 and 147 MHz, when sinusoidally amplitude modulated at 16 Hz (ELF), can cause enhanced efflux of radiolabeled calcium ions from chick brain tissue in vitro. This phenomenon occurs only when the samples are exposed to specific intensity ranges of the carrier wave. Unmodulated carrier waves do not affect the ion efflux. Since the ELF signal must be demodulated from the carrier wave to be effective, a study of the efflux enhancement due to the ELF signal alone may lead to an identification of the site of demodulation, as well as provide clues to the underlying mechanism. We report here that 16-Hz sinusoidal fields in the absence of a carrier wave can alter the efflux rate of calcium ions. The results show a frequency-dependent, field-induced enhancement of calcium-ion efflux within the ranges 5 to 7.5 V/m and 35 to 50 V/m (peak-to-peak incident field in air) with no enhancement within the ranges 1 to 2, 10 to 30, and 60 to 70 V/m.