Hematologic and Cortisol Alterations Observed in Young Mice Placed in Front of a Color Television Screen

Abstract

Four-week-old Swiss male mice were placed 20 cm from a color television screen switched on for 5 continuous days/week, 9 ± 2 h/Day for 106 days. The control group was nonexposed. The average magnetic field was 0.8 μT at the front of the exposed mice cage, and 0.23 μT at the back. Hematologic and cortisol values were measured on Days 0, 22, 57, and 106. Statistical analysis on weight and hematological values were performed using analysis of variance for repeated measures involving baseline values, group, time, and interaction between group and time as fixed factors. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils were significantly lower in the exposed group than control, but no interaction between time and exposure was found. On Day 22, erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin were significantly higher in the exposed group. An interaction between time and group was found. Day 57 cortisol values of the exposed group were significantly higher than control, and on Day 106, values of the exposed group were significantly lower than control (Student t test). Such an observation could be explained by a feedback control following long-term irradiation exposure. In conclusion, exposure of very young mice to the electromagnetic emissions from a television screen appears to modify hematological parameters, reaching values characteristic of adult mice.

• Neutrophils
• Mouse
• Cortisol
• Television
• Electromagnetic fields