[Effect of an alternating magnetic field on development and extinction of conditioned responses in rats]

This paper deals with the problem whether there is an effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on simple learning processes. The conditioned reaction upon an electromagnetic fields on simple learning processes. The conditioned reaction upon an acoustic stimulus (1000 Hz) reinforced by an electric painful stimulus was used. During the conditioning and extinction process 28 adult albino rats were put in a 10 Hz, 0,3 G magnetic field. Their learning and extinction behaviour was compared with that of a control group of 28 rats trained under normal laboratory conditions. The extinction schedule differs significantly between the experimental and control group: The extinction develops faster in the experimental group (p less than 0.05). In connection with the results of other authors our findings are discussed as a general amount of adaptability by the influence of the 10 Hz field.