The effects of infrasound on the ultrastructure of the rat pallium / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To further investigate the threshold value and the dose-effect relationship of infrasound on the rat pallium, and to observe the effects on the pallium's ultrastructure. Methods Rats were exposed to 16 Hz, 90 dB infrasound for 2 hours daily. With a transmission electron microscope, changes in the ultrastructure of the cortex of the rats' parietal lobes were observed 2 hours, 3 days and 7 days after the treatment. Results There were no changes in the ultrastructure of the pallium in rats which had been exposed for 7 days or 14 days. Denaturation appeared when the rats had been exposed for 21 days, 28 days or 35 days. Denaturation become more serious as the exposure time increased beyond 21 days. Denaturation and damage gradually returned to normal with time after exposure. Conclusion 16 Hz, 90 dB infrasound exposure over an extended time may cause denaturation and other changes in the ultrastructure of the pallium in rats. Such changes can return to normal with time.