Short- and long-term effects of 3.5–23.0 Tesla ultra-high magnetic fields on mice behaviour

Objectives Higher static magnetic field (SMF) enables higher imaging capability in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which encourages the development of ultra-high field MRIs above 20 T with a prerequisite for safety issues. However, animal tests of ≥ 20 T SMF exposure are very limited. The objective of the current study is to evaluate mice behaviour consequences of 3.5–23.0 T SMF exposure. Methods We systematically examined 112 mice for their short- and long-term behaviour responses to a 2-h exposure of 3.5–23.0 T SMFs. Locomotor activity and cognitive functions were measured by five behaviour tests, including balance beam, open field, elevated plus maze, three-chamber social recognition, and Morris water maze tests. Results Besides the transient short-term impairment of the sense of balance and locomotor activity, the 3.5–23.0 T SMFs did not have long-term negative effects on mice locomotion, anxiety level, social behaviour, or memory. In contrast, we observed anxiolytic effects and positive effects on social and spatial memory of SMFs, which is likely correlated with the significantly increased CaMKII level in the hippocampus region of high SMF-treated mice. Conclusions Our study showed that the short exposures to high-field SMFs up to 23.0 T have negligible side effects on healthy mice and may even have beneficial outcomes in mice mood and memory, which is pertinent to the future medical application of ultra-high field SMFs in MRIs and beyond. Key Points • Short-term exposure to magnetic fields up to 23.0 T is safe for mice . • High-field static magnetic field exposure transiently reduced mice locomotion . • High-field static magnetic field enhances memory while reduces the anxiety level .