1.3. International Workshop on the association between neurodegenerative diseases and exposure to magnetic fields – State of knowledge and research perspectives

Project management: Federal Office for Radiation Protection
Start: 12 December 2017
End: 14 December 2017

Background

Studies of occupational exposure to high levels of alternating magnetic fields show a statistical correlation to an increase in some neurodegenerative diseases, most notably Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Because neurodegenerative diseases are increasing in society in connection with increasing life expectancy, the question arises whether magnetic fields can additionally influence the development of these diseases – even at low field strengths.

Objective

In order to get an overview of the latest research and to identify new approaches on the basis of which further research can be initiated, an international workshop was organised. This took place in Munich from 12–14 December 2017.

Implementation

Experts from all over the world were invited to discuss the different aspects and problems as well as to jointly give an overview of the viewpoints of these different areas. Twenty-one international speakers were invited to present different disciplines and research areas in order to shape the programme items. Participants included medical doctors, biologists, epidemiologists, physicists, and electrical engineers. In total, 57 people from 15 different countries participated in the workshop.

The following points were discussed in eight sessions:

• Introduction to neurodegenerative diseases: what we know and what we don’t know
• Exposure determination
• Epidemiology: Low-frequency magnetic fields as potential risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases
• Aetiology of ALS: New insights from animal models
• Aetiology of Alzheimer’s dementia
• Molecular basis of ALS
• Molecular basis of Alzheimer’s dementia
• Molecular effects of low-frequency magnetic fields in animal models and cell cultures

Results

The workshop provided a comprehensive overview of the current state of research on the molecular and genetic basis of neurodegenerative diseases as well as on the correlation with low-frequency magnetic fields and potential mechanisms of action. Overall, it became apparent that the results of current epidemiological research first need to be updated in the form of meta-analyses or pooled analyses (Research projects 1.1 and 1.2). If a potential correlation between the diseases mentioned and magnetic fields is confirmed, it will be examined whether the molecular signatures of the diseases presented at the workshop and the new animal models are suitable for the further investigation of the influence of exposure to magnetic fields in animal models or in cells (Research projects 1.4–1.7).

Following the workshop, a joint report with the input of the speakers will be prepared and published. Based on this, further research projects will be initiated if necessary. The report on the results of the workshops with the agenda and the abstracts of the individual contributions has been published in DORIS, the Digital Online Repository and Information System of the BfS.