Light Alters Nociceptive Effects Of Magnetic Field Shielding In Mice: Intensity And Wavelength Considerations

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Veterinary;  Pain / Anesthetics
Article Date: 18 Jun 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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A sixth sense, magnetoreception, has been demonstrated in animals from insects and snails to birds and rodents by two diverse groups of researchers.

One group has been investigating the effects of magnetic fields on animal orientation and the other on perception of pain. Here we build a case for a single transduction mechanism to explain these different effects.

We show that certain combinations of light wavelength and intensity affects the pain perception effects of magnetic field detection in mice similar to how such light exposure affects magnetoreception used by birds for orientation.

Journal of the Royal Society Interface

Journal of the Royal Society Interface is the Society's cross-disciplinary publication promoting research at the interface between the physical and life sciences. It offers rapidity, visibility and high-quality peer review and is ranked fourth in JCR's multidisciplinary category.

www.publishing.royalsociety.org/interface