Effects of two different waveforms of ELF MF on bioelectrical activity of antennal lobe neurons of Morimus funereus (Insecta, Coleoptera)

Abstract

Purpose: External magnetic fields (MF) interact with organisms at all levels, including the nervous system. Bioelectrical activity of antennal lobe neurons of adult Morimus funereus was analyzed under the influence of extremely low frequency MF (ELF MF, 50 Hz, 2 mT) of different characteristics (exposure duration and waveform).

Material and methods: Neuronal activity (background/neuronal population and those nearest to the recording electrode) in adult longhorn beetles was registered through several phases of exposure to the sine wave and square wave MF for 5, 10 and 15 min.

Results: The sine wave MF, regardless of the exposure duration, did not change the reversibility factor of antennal lobe neuronal activity in adult M. funereus. In contrast, reversibility factors of the nearest neurons were significantly changed after the exposure to square wave MF for 10 and 15 min.

Conclusion: M. funereus individuals are sensitive to both sine wave and square wave ELF MF (50 Hz, 2 mT) of different duration, whereby their reactions depend on the characteristics of the applied MF and specificity of each individual.

Keywords::

• Electrophysiology
• cerambycidae
• nerve cells

Acknowledgements

This study was supported and granted by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Grant no. 173027). The authors are grateful to Dr Jeroen Hostens (Bruker-mikroCT, Kontich, Belgium) who made the CT scan of M. funereus adult head and Dr Spomenko Mihajlović (Republic Geodetic Authority, Republic of Serbia) for providing data about geomagnetic field.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.