Stimulation of the brain with radiofrequency electromagnetic field pulses affects sleep-dependent performance improvement.
Lustenberger C, Murbach M, Durr R, Schmid MR, Kuster N, Achermann P, Huber R. · 2013
View Original AbstractPulsed radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure during sleep reduced motor sequence task improvement by 20.1 percent and increased slow-wave activity.
Plain English Summary
Sixteen male subjects completed two experimental nights, one with all-night pulsed radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure at 0.25–0.8 Hz. Sleep efficiency exceeded 90 percent in both conditions. Slow-wave activity increased during pulsed exposure compared to sham toward the end of the sleep period. Spindle activity did not change. Motor sequence task improvement was reduced by 20.1 percent during exposure versus sham.
Why This Matters
The study aimed to explore how radiofrequency electromagnetic fields affect cortical activity during sleep and whether such effects interact with sleep-dependent performance changes. Subjects showed an increased burst-related response in the slow-wave activity range, with higher event-related EEG spectral power and phase changes. The authors suggest the slow-wave activity changes may reflect an interaction with the renormalization of cortical excitability during sleep, negatively affecting sleep-dependent performance improvement.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900 MHz Duration: All-night
Study Details
The aim of our study was to explore possible mechanisms how RF EMF affect cortical activity during sleep and to test whether such effects on cortical activity during sleep interact with sleep-dependent performance changes.
Sixteen male subjects underwent 2 experimental nights, one of them with all-night 0.25–0.8 Hz pulsed...
We obtained good sleep quality in all subjects under both conditions (mean sleep efficiency > 90%). ...
The changes in the time course of SWA during the exposure night may reflect an interaction of RF EMF with the renormalization of cortical excitability during sleep, with a negative impact on sleep-dependent performance improvement.
Show BibTeX
@article{c_2013_stimulation_of_the_brain_1511,
author = {Lustenberger C and Murbach M and Durr R and Schmid MR and Kuster N and Achermann P and Huber R. },
title = {Stimulation of the brain with radiofrequency electromagnetic field pulses affects sleep-dependent performance improvement.},
year = {2013},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1935861X13000442},
}