Blood and urinary catecholamine variations under the action of a high voltage electric field

White Wistar male rats, weighing 150 +/- 20 g, adapted to the laboratory ambience during 12 days, were exposed to an electric field of 100 kV/m for 360 minutes in acute (once) or chronic experiment (12 days running). Urinary (nanogram h-1) and blood catecholamines (microgram/100 ml) showed a significant increase as compared to the controls, adapted to the ambience but not exposed to an electric field. The most accentuated increase was that of adrenaline in the acute experiment. In the chronic experiment the adrenaline response gradually failled.