Does exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields produce functional changes in human brain?
Capone F, Dileone M, Profice P, Pilato F, Musumeci G, Minicuci G, Ranieri F, Cadossi R, Setti S, Tonali PA, Di Lazzaro V. · 2009
View Original AbstractForty-five minutes of magnetic field exposure measurably altered human brain chemistry, increasing excitatory activity by 20%.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed 22 healthy volunteers to pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) for 45 minutes and measured brain activity using transcranial stimulation. They found that PEMF exposure increased brain excitability by about 20%, specifically enhancing glutamate activity (a key brain chemical involved in nerve communication). This suggests that even short-term magnetic field exposure can produce measurable changes in how the human brain functions.
Why This Matters
This research provides direct evidence that magnetic field exposure can alter human brain function in measurable ways. What makes this study particularly significant is its use of transcranial stimulation to detect subtle changes in cortical excitability that wouldn't be apparent through behavioral testing alone. The 20% increase in intracortical facilitation demonstrates that the brain responds to electromagnetic fields at levels that may be encountered in everyday environments, though the specific exposure parameters weren't detailed in this study. The enhancement of glutamatergic activity is noteworthy because glutamate is the brain's primary excitatory neurotransmitter, involved in learning, memory, and overall neural communication. While this study doesn't establish whether these changes are harmful or beneficial, it clearly shows that the brain is not immune to electromagnetic influence as once believed by many in the scientific community.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: 45 min
Study Details
Using transcranial brain stimulation, we studied noninvasively the effect of PEMFs on several measures of cortical excitability in 22 healthy volunteers, in 14 of the subjects we also evaluated the effects of sham field exposure.
After 45 min of PEMF exposure, intracortical facilitation produced by paired pulse brain stimulation...
This study suggests that PEMFs may produce functional changes in human brain.
Show BibTeX
@article{f_2009_does_exposure_to_extremely_1554,
author = {Capone F and Dileone M and Profice P and Pilato F and Musumeci G and Minicuci G and Ranieri F and Cadossi R and Setti S and Tonali PA and Di Lazzaro V.},
title = {Does exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields produce functional changes in human brain?},
year = {2009},
url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00702-009-0184-2},
}