Effect of proximity to high-voltage fields: results of the neural network model and experimental model with macaques

An important biological hazard that is caused by the placement of power transmission lines in the vicinity of cities and villages is the computation of the magnetic and electric fields around these lines. Therefore, the present research objective was to study the effect of high-voltage fields on the effect of the neural network model on the brain and to compare the results of this model with the results of behavioral and biological analyses of primates. In this research, two adult male macaques were selected for the experiments. Prior to inclusion in the research, the primates were exposed to behavioral tests, hormonal assays (melatonin and cortisol), and MRI-assisted brain anatomy analyses using special kits. The monkey in the experimental group was exposed to a 3 kV/m high-voltage field for 4 h a day for a month, after applying electric field simulations. In addition, the behavioral elements of the primates in the experimental and control groups were analyzed during the treatment. Computation models were used in this research, and the results were compared to experimental data. Behavioral elements manifested in the form of changes such as reduced activity, isolation, reduced appetite, and sleep disorders during applying electric field simulations of the monkey that was exposed to the high-voltage field. Based on the results of the simulation model and the variations of the behavioral, hormonal, and anatomical elements, the decrease in the activity of the brain cortex, sleep disorders, and isolation were indicative of depression in the monkey exposed to the high-voltage field.