Abstract:Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the behavioral changes induced by 50 Hz, 10 mT fl ux density Sinusoidal Magnetic Field (MF). Material and methods: Seventy-six young adult male Wistar albino rats were used in the study. They were separated into two groups: control group (C) n = 38; MF group n = 38. C animals were left under the same conditions with the MF group for 21 days but with prevented or avoided exposure to MF. Anxiety and stress-related behavioral changes were investigated by elevated plus-maze and hole-board systems. Just before being tested in the maze, each animal was tested by means of the hole-board method in order to separate the directed exploration behavior and locomotion activity changes from anxiety-related behavior. Results: In the hole-board system parameters there were no statistically signifi cant differences between the two groups. There was a statistically signifi cant difference between MF and C groups when the ratio of time spent on open arms to the total time spent on all arms was evaluated (0.12 ± 0.08 and 0.34 ± 0.18 respectively and p < 0.01). Conclusion: Our results suggest that after 21 days, a continuous exposure to extremely low frequency of magnetic fi eld (50 Hz, 10 mT) has no signifi cant effect on activity and exploration activity but signifi cantly induces stress and anxiety-related behavior in rats (Tab. 2, Fig. 9, Ref. 19 Static, sinusoidal and specifi c pulsed magnetic fi elds have been shown to alter the animal and human behaviors such as directional orientation, learning, pain perception (nociception) and anxietyrelated behaviors (1 -6).Extremely low frequency (0.1 -100 Hz) of sinusoidal magnetic fi elds (MF) of 50 or 60 Hertz generated predominantly by power lines, appliances and video display terminals could endanger health by producing a variety of effects in biological systems. Appliances can generate fi elds higher than those of transmission lines but in most cases they fall off rapidly. However electric blankets expose the users for eight hours at a time and electric hair dryers and shavers are operated close to the body. Power frequency fi elds carry too little energy in each quantum to break the chemical and molecular bonds, so they are not accepted as a sort of biological damage such as caused by X-rays, but on the other hand they are supposed to induce currents and create potential differences in biological structures.Although the present knowledge is fragmentary and the coherent theory to explain the observations seems far off, continuously present power frequency fi elds in our modern environment bring about potential health effects which are a matter of serious scientifi c and public health policy concern.That concern is focused on cancer and developmental abnormalities and to a lesser extent on endocrine and nervous system and psychiatric problems including anxiety disorders and depression (7 -9).The general aim of our studies is to assess the psychological and psychophysiological effects of low-intensity 50 Hz MF exposure. I...