Background & Objectives : Piracetam is a nootropic compound, which acts as a nervous system enhancer. Different processes are involved in memory formation and various parameters are able to disturb it. Due to increase of exposure possibility to electromagnetic fields in recent years and the effects of theses fields on memory consolidation, this investigation designed to clear the relation between these parameters and memory consolidation.

  Methods: In this research eleven groups of male wistar rats (ten rats in each group) with a mean weight of 275±25 gr aging 3-4 months were studied. To evaluate the effects of electromagnetic field, four groups of rats were exposed to 5mT/50HZ electromagnetic field for 1,4,6 and 8 hours respectively immediately after training. In other six groups 250mg/kg or 500 mg/kg piracetam were administered orally one hour before training. They were also exposed to electromagnetic field for 4,6,8 hours respectively immediately after training,. Retrieval test was performed 24 hours later in all groups.

  Results: 1 hour exposure on EMF had no meaningful effect on memory consolidation, however, in other three groups the electromagnetic fields impaired memory consolidation significantly compared to the control group (p<0.05). Piracetam administration with two mentioned doses significantly improved memory consolidation (p<0.05).

  Conclusions: Acute exposure to low intensity magnetic field can disturb memory consolidation and piracetam administration can prevent it.