Melatonin and omega-3 may protect developing spinal cords from prenatal 900 MHz EMF exposure
Researchers at Ondokuz Mayıs University report findings from a controlled rat study suggesting that prenatal exposure to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field (EMF) may be associated with ultrastructural injury in the offspring's spinal cord, and that melatonin—and more modestly omega-3 fatty acids—may help preserve motor neuron structure under these exposure conditions.
Research highlights from the study
- EMF-only exposure was associated with motor neuron degeneration and cellular abnormalities involving axons and oligodendrocytes (myelinating cells).
- Melatonin treatment showed stronger preservation of motor neuron integrity than omega-3 in this model.
- Electron microscopy indicated healthier cellular morphology in treatment groups compared with EMF alone.
- Spinal cord volume and grey/white matter ratios showed no major differences, while motor neuron counts differed across conditions.
Background and study rationale
Non-ionizing EMFs emitted by modern wireless technologies are increasingly common. Because prenatal development involves rapid growth and differentiation of the central nervous system, researchers continue to investigate whether certain exposure patterns may influence vulnerable neural tissues, including the spinal cord.
Study design and exposure conditions
In this experiment, pregnant rats were exposed to 900 MHz EMF for 2 hours per day during gestation. Animals were assigned to seven groups:
- Control (CONT)
- Sham-exposed (SHAM)
- EMF alone
- EMF + melatonin (EMF-Mel)
- EMF + omega-3 (EMF-ω3)
- Melatonin only (Mel)
- Omega-3 only (ω3)
For the combined groups, melatonin or omega-3 was administered prior to EMF exposure to evaluate potential protective effects. Offspring spinal cords were examined at postnatal day 35.
Ultrastructural outcomes in the offspring spinal cord
Across microscopic assessments, the EMF-only group showed findings consistent with motor neuron degeneration, including disruption of cellular structures and changes involving axons and oligodendrocytes. Electron microscopy supported these observations by revealing more pronounced ultrastructural irregularities in EMF-exposed tissue compared with controls.
Neuroprotection with melatonin and omega-3
Both melatonin and omega-3 conditions showed comparatively healthier morphology than EMF exposure alone, but melatonin demonstrated greater neuroprotective effects in preserving motor neuron integrity in this model. The authors also note that omega-3s' susceptibility to oxidation could limit their standalone protection under oxidative stress–linked injury conditions.
As the study authors state, "Melatonin plays a critical role in fetal development … protecting against oxidative damage."
Implications and next research steps
The findings add experimental evidence to ongoing work on prenatal exposure biology and potential mitigation strategies. The researchers emphasize that further studies are needed to clarify the mechanism and translation, including:
dose–response and timing studies during gestation,
testing combination approaches (e.g., omega-3 with antioxidants),
adding functional endpoints (e.g., motor performance) alongside microscopy.
More information:
Ömür Gülsüm Deniz et al, Melatonin and omega-3 neuroprotection in prenatal rat spinal cord exposed to 900 MHz electromagnetic field. Biomol Biomed [Internet]. 2025 Jul. 21 [cited 2025 Dec. 23];25(12):2789–2800.
Available from: https://doi.org/10.17305/bb.2025.12633
Journal information: Biomolecules and Biomedicine
Provided by: Association of Basic Medical Sciences of FBIH
Provided by Association of Basic Medical Sciences of FBIH
