The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF MF) on the reactivity of the central
dopamine D(1) receptor in rats with dopamine neurons chemically damaged by
6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), an animal model of human's
Parkinson's disease. The experiment was carried out on male Wistar rats. On day 3 of postnatal life, a lasting and selective chemical damage of the central
dopamine system was induced in the rats by infusion of
6-OHDA HBr (133.4 microg intracerebroventricular, base form) given bilaterally into lateral ventricles of the brain. Control animals received similar treatments injecting only vehicle. At 2 months of age, both
6-OHDA treated and control rats were randomly divided into two groups. Rats from the first group were exposed to 10 Hz sinusoidal, 1.8-3.8 mT magnetic field one hour daily for 14 days. Rats of the second group were
sham exposed, with the applicator solenoid turned off. On the day after the final exposure the evaluations were made of the rat's spontaneous irritability, oral activity, and
catalepsy. The MF exposed rat with chemically induced dopamine neurons damage exhibited a reduction of irritability and oral activity when stimulated with
SKF 38393 (the agonist of central
dopamine D(1) receptor) and some increase of
catalepsy after administration of
SCH 23390(the antagonist of central
dopamine D(1) receptor). These results indicate that ELF MF reduce the reactivity of central
dopamine D(1) receptors in rats.