Experimental Induction of Intermale Aggressive Behavior in Limbic Epileptic Rats by Weak, Complex Magnetic Fields: Implications for Geomagnetic Activity and the Modern Habitat?

Abstract

In three separate experiments, groups (4/group) of male rats with limbic epilepsy were exposed for 80min every 24hr during the midscotophase for 24 successive days to sham-field conditions or to one of four complex patterns of magnetic fields whose average intensities ranged between 20nT to 500nT. The numbers of episodes of boxing, biting, mounting, eating, drinking and grooming were then recorded each night during the latter 20 min. Moderately strong statistically significant interactions occurred between the presence or absence of the field and the pattern of the field explained 25% and 50% of the variance in the numbers of biting and boxing responses, respectively. Other behaviors were not affected. The results suggest that group aggression can be increased or decreased as a function of the temporal characteristics and morphology (shape) of the applied magnetic field.

Keywords:

• Magnetic field
• aggression
• agonistic behavior
• rats
• brain
• shape-of-field
• groups