Stimulation of rat sciatic nerve regeneration with pulsed electromagnetic fields
Sisken BF, Kanje M, Lundborg G, Herbst E, Kurtz W. Stimulation of rat sciatic nerve regeneration with pulsed electromagnetic fields. Brain Res. 1989 Apr 24;485(2):309-16. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(89)90575-1. PMID: 2497929.
Abstract
The effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) on rat sciatic nerve regeneration after a crush lesion were determined. The rats were placed between a pair of Helmholtz coils and exposed to PEMF of frequency 2 Hz and magnetic flux density of 0.3 mT. A 4 h/day treatment for 3-6 days increased the rate of nerve regeneration by 22%. This stimulatory effect was independent of the orientation of the coils. Exposure times of 1 h/day-10 h/day were equally effective in stimulating nerve regeneration. Rats exposed to PEMF for 4 h/day for 7 days before crush, followed by 3 days after crush without PEMF, also showed significantly increased regeneration. This pre-exposure ‘conditioning’ effect suggests that PEMF influences regeneration indirectly.
