Seasonal Patterns of Melatonin, Cortisol, and Progesterone Secretion in Female Lambs Raised Beneath a 500-kV Transmission Line.

Technical Report · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6973353· OSTI ID:6973353

Lee, Jack M

Although several kinds of biological effects of electric and magnetic fields have been reported from laboratory studies, few have been independently replicated. When this study was being planned, the suppression of nighttime melatonin in rodents was thought to represent one of the strongest known effects of these fields. The effect had been replicated by a single laboratory for 60-Hz electric fields, and by multiple laboratories for d-c magnetic fields. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether the effect of electric and magnetic fields on melatonin would also occur in sheep exposed to a high voltage transmission line. The specific hypothesis tested by this experiment was as follows: The electrical environment produced by a 60-Hz, 500-kV transmission line causes a depression in nocturnal melatonin in chronically exposed female lambs. This may mimic effects of pinealectomy or constant long-day photoperiods, thus delaying the onset of reproductive cycles. Results of the study do not provide evidence to support the hypothesis. Melatonin concentrations in the sheep exposed to the transmission line showed the normal pattern of low daytime and high nighttime serum levels. As compared to the control group, there were no statistically significant group differences in the mean amplitude, phase, or duration of the nighttime melatonin elevation.

• Research Organization: United States. Bonneville Power Administration.
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6973353
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
240400 -- Power Transmission & Distribution-- Health & Safety-- (1990-)
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADRENAL HORMONES
AMINES
ANIMAL GROWTH
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
AZAARENES
AZOLES
BEHAVIOR
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BLOOD CHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
CORTICOSTEROIDS
CORTISONE
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
Electromagnetic fields - Environmental aspects
FEMALES
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
GROWTH
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDOLES
KETONES
MAMMALS
MELATONIN
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER TRANSMISSION LINES
PREGNANES
PROGESTERONE
PYRROLES
RUMINANTS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SHEEP
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
TRYPTAMINES
VARIATIONS
VERTEBRATES
WOOL