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Effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on oxidative stress in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

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Medina-Fernandez FJ, Escribano BM, Agüera E, Aguilar-Luque M, Feijoo M, Luque E, Garcia-Maceira FI, Pascual-Leone A, Drucker-Colin R, Tunez I. · 2017

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Controlled 60 Hz magnetic fields at 0.7 mT reduced brain damage and oxidative stress in MS-like conditions, demonstrating measurable biological effects.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers used magnetic field therapy (similar to medical TMS treatment) on rats with an artificially induced multiple sclerosis-like condition. The 60 Hz magnetic fields at 0.7 milliTesla significantly reduced brain damage, improved motor symptoms, and decreased harmful oxidative stress. This suggests that controlled magnetic field exposure might have therapeutic potential for neurological conditions involving brain inflammation.

Why This Matters

This study presents a fascinating paradox in EMF research: while we often focus on potential harms from electromagnetic exposures, here we see therapeutic benefits from controlled magnetic fields. The 0.7 milliTesla exposure used is roughly 14 times stronger than typical household magnetic field exposures (around 0.05 mT near appliances), yet significantly weaker than MRI machines. What makes this research particularly compelling is that it demonstrates measurable biological effects at relatively low field strengths, supporting the broader scientific understanding that EMFs can indeed influence biological systems. The protective effects against oxidative stress are especially noteworthy, as oxidative damage is a key mechanism through which many researchers believe EMFs might cause harm in other contexts. This reinforces that the biological effects of electromagnetic fields are highly dependent on frequency, intensity, duration, and timing of exposure.

Exposure Details

Magnetic Field
0.7 mG
Source/Device
60 Hz
Exposure Duration
2 h in the morning, once a day, 5 days a week, during 3 weeks.

Exposure Context

This study used 0.7 mG for magnetic fields:

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.7 mGExtreme Concern - 5 mGFCC Limit - 2,000 mGEffects observed in the Slight Concern rangeFCC limit is 2,857x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 60 Hz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The main objective was to evaluate the effect of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EL-EMF) application, like a paradigm of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the development of EAE.

Rats were injected with a single dose of 150 μg of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG, fragmen...

The data showed that MOG induced motor symptoms as tail paralysis and limb paresis/paralysis, oxidat...

Our findings suggest that: (i) MOG reproduces an experimental model of MS characterised by oxidative and cell damage; and (ii) TMS application decreases oxidative stress and cell death induced by MOG.

Cite This Study
Medina-Fernandez FJ, Escribano BM, Agüera E, Aguilar-Luque M, Feijoo M, Luque E, Garcia-Maceira FI, Pascual-Leone A, Drucker-Colin R, Tunez I. (2017). Effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on oxidative stress in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Free Radic Res. 2017 May;51(5):460-469, 2017.
Show BibTeX
@article{fj_2017_effects_of_transcranial_magnetic_686,
  author = {Medina-Fernandez FJ and Escribano BM and Agüera E and Aguilar-Luque M and Feijoo M and Luque E and Garcia-Maceira FI and Pascual-Leone A and Drucker-Colin R and Tunez I.},
  title = {Effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on oxidative stress in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.},
  year = {2017},
  doi = {10.1080/10715762.2017.1324955},
  url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10715762.2017.1324955},
}
DOI: 10.1080/10715762.2017.1324955

Cited By (27 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Research suggests 60 Hz magnetic fields at 0.7 milliTesla may help MS-like conditions. A 2017 study found this specific frequency reduced brain inflammation, improved motor symptoms like paralysis, and decreased harmful oxidative stress in experimental animals with MS-like disease.
Yes, transcranial magnetic stimulation significantly reduces oxidative stress in brain tissue. The 2017 study showed 60 Hz TMS treatment decreased harmful cellular damage while boosting the brain's natural antioxidant defense systems in animals with neuroinflammation.
A magnetic field strength of 0.7 milliTesla at 60 Hz frequency showed therapeutic benefits for neurological inflammation. This specific intensity reduced brain cell death, improved motor function, and decreased oxidative damage in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
Magnetic therapy may improve paralysis symptoms from autoimmune brain conditions. Research found 60 Hz magnetic field treatment reduced tail paralysis and limb weakness in animals with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a condition similar to multiple sclerosis.
TMS treatment appears to protect brain cells from autoimmune damage. The study demonstrated that transcranial magnetic stimulation reduced cell death and oxidative stress while strengthening antioxidant systems in brains affected by experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.