Uncovering the Neurobiological Consequences of High-Voltage Electrical Field Exposure on the Visual Working Memory of Macaques and Also Using Spiking Neural Network Model

Abstract

High-voltage (HV) power transmission lines running near cities and villages can cause severe damage (Mental and physical). Due to the magnetic and electric fields they produce. This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-voltage (HV) electric fields on the spiking neural network model of the brain and biological and behavioral models of visual working memory. To achieve this goal, macaques were studied for their cognitive functions, expression of the NMDA receptor gene, MRI-assisted analysis of brain anatomy, and variations in blood sodium and potassium concentrations. The experimental group of macaques was exposed to a 3kV/m high-voltage field for four hours a day for one month. Computational models were then evaluated using experimental parameters. According to the results, it was observed that being exposed to high-voltage electric fields led to a reduction in the expression of the NMDA receptor gene, as well as a decrease in the levels of Sodium and potassium ions in the blood plasma. Additionally, analysis assisted by MRI showed a decrease in the volume of the hippocampus and amygdala after exposure to the electric field. In conclusion, the results of cognitive, genetic, blood, and MRI tests, along with the spiking neural network model, elucidate the mechanism of the visual working memory deterioration in macaques due to high-voltage electric field exposure.