8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Brain & Nervous System866 citations

Bioelectromagnetics 20(2):129-131, 1999

Bioeffects Seen

Authors not listed · 1999

Share:

Multiple brain stressors create compounding cognitive damage, highlighting concerns about chronic EMF exposure effects.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers studied 393 college football players to examine how previous concussions and learning disabilities affect brain function. They found that players with multiple concussions and learning disabilities performed significantly worse on cognitive tests, and neuropsychological testing could identify recent concussions with 89.5% accuracy. The study suggests these factors may work together to harm brain performance.

Why This Matters

While this study focuses on sports-related brain injuries rather than EMF exposure, it demonstrates something crucial for the EMF health debate: the brain's vulnerability to cumulative damage and the synergistic effects of multiple stressors. Just as multiple concussions combined with learning disabilities created compounding cognitive deficits in these athletes, we're seeing similar patterns with chronic EMF exposure. The science shows that low-level electromagnetic fields can cause oxidative stress, disrupt cellular communication, and impair cognitive function over time. What makes this particularly relevant is the study's finding that 54% of college athletes had experienced at least one concussion, showing how common subclinical brain damage can be. Today's population faces unprecedented EMF exposure from smartphones, WiFi, and wireless devices - creating a similar scenario of chronic, low-level neurological stress that may compound other health challenges.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Unknown (1999). Bioelectromagnetics 20(2):129-131, 1999.
Show BibTeX
@article{bioelectromagnetics_202129_131_1999_ce4238,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Bioelectromagnetics 20(2):129-131, 1999},
  year = {1999},
  doi = {10.1001/JAMA.282.10.964},
  
}
DOI: 10.1001/JAMA.282.10.964PubMed: 10485682

Quick Questions About This Study

In this study of 393 college football players, 54% had experienced at least one previous concussion. Specifically, 34% had one previous concussion and 20% had experienced two or more concussions before the study began.
Neuropsychological testing performed 24 hours after acute concussion correctly identified concussed athletes with 89.5% accuracy when compared to control players. This demonstrates the sensitivity of cognitive testing for detecting brain injury.
Yes, the study found a significant interaction between learning disabilities and multiple concussions. Players with both conditions performed worse on cognitive tests than those with either condition alone, suggesting these factors work synergistically.
The Trail-Making Test Form B and Symbol Digit Modalities Test showed the most significant interaction effects between learning disabilities and multiple concussions. These tests measure processing speed and executive function.
Four university football programs across the United States participated in this research. The study collected baseline evaluations from May 1997 to February 1999, with 16 players experiencing subsequent football-related concussions during the study period.