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Brain & Nervous System

Can EMF exposure during development leave an imprint later in life?

Review

Authors not listed · 2006

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The review raises the question of whether the ambient electromagnetic environment can leave an imprint on developing organisms and if such imprint changes have the potential for health consequences.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Initial reports indicated that exposure of chicken eggs during embryonic development to power-line electric fields of 50 and 60 Hz at 10 V/m in air could cause the brain tissues of the hatched chickens to respond differently in a particular test. More recently, an anecdotal report of human sensitivity to EMF has appeared that shows a health-related influence of prior exposure history to particular power-line frequencies in chemically sensitized individuals. These reports open the question of whether the ambient electromagnetic environment can leave an imprint on developing organisms and if such imprint changes have the potential for health consequences.

Why This Matters

People in industrialized nations live in an environment of ubiquitous electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure, both natural and anthropogenic. The intensity, variety, and geographic distribution of anthropogenic EMF exposures have grown dramatically since the mid 20th century, with many uses serving, and in close proximity to, human populations, such as electric power distribution, radio and television transmission, and more recently, personal cell phone communication units and transmitting towers.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 50-60 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 50-60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Unknown (2006). Can EMF exposure during development leave an imprint later in life?.
Show BibTeX
@article{can_emf_exposure_during_development_leave_an_imprint_later_in_life_ce1452,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Can EMF exposure during development leave an imprint later in life?},
  year = {2006},
  doi = {10.1080/15368370601034086},
  
}
DOI: 10.1080/15368370601034086PubMed: 17178582

Quick Questions About This Study

Initial reports indicated that exposure of chicken eggs during embryonic development to power-line electric fields of 50 and 60 Hz at 10 V/m in air could cause the brain tissues of the hatched chickens to respond differently in a particular test.
More recently, an anecdotal report of human sensitivity to EMF has appeared that shows a health-related influence of prior exposure history to particular power-line frequencies in chemically sensitized individuals.
These reports open the question of whether the ambient electromagnetic environment can leave an imprint on developing organisms and if such imprint changes have the potential for health consequences.
The intensity, variety, and geographic distribution of anthropogenic EMF exposures have grown dramatically since the mid 20th century, with many uses serving, and in close proximity to, human populations, such as electric power distribution, radio and television transmission, and more recently, personal cell phone communication units and transmitting towers.
The intensity, variety, and geographic distribution of anthropogenic EMF exposures have grown dramatically since the mid 20th century.