Abstract
It was demonstrated that the pineal organ (Epiphysis cerebri), an endocrine gland located in the epithalamus of vertebrates, is capable of responding to magnetic stimuli. After the discovery that the spontaneous electrical activity of single pinealocytes of birds and mammals could be altered by magnetic stimuli, it was shown that also the nocturnal synthesis of the pineal hormone N- acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine (Melatonin) was inhibited by a change of the ambient magnetic field. Besides the physiological responses to artificial magnetic fields, there are several indications that the orientation behavior of homing pigeons and migrating birds is influenced by the earth’s magnetic field. It is believed that the photoreceptors of the retinae and the avian pineal gland may serve as magnetoreceptors. Moreover it was shown that regular daily and annual variations of the geomagnetic field, caused by solar winds acting on the magnetosphere of the earth’s sunlit side, could possibly play a role on circadian and circannual rhythms. Clinical relevant results coupled with artificial magnetic influences and possible therapeutic magnetic treatment are discussed.
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Semm, P., Schneider, T. (1995). Effects of RFR/EMF Exposure on Pineal/Melatonin. In: Klauenberg, B.J., Grandolfo, M., Erwin, D.N. (eds) Radiofrequency Radiation Standards. NATO ASI Series, vol 274. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0945-9_27
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