Changes in human EEG caused by low level modulated microwave stimulation.
Hinrikus H, Parts M, Lass J, Tuulik V. · 2004
View Original AbstractLow-level microwave radiation at 0.16 mW/cm² altered brain wave patterns in the frontal region after repeated exposure cycles.
Plain English Summary
Estonian researchers exposed 20 volunteers to low-level microwave radiation similar to cell phones. The study found measurable changes in brain wave patterns in the frontal region after repeated exposure. Individual responses varied significantly, suggesting some people may be more sensitive to microwave effects than others.
Why This Matters
This study adds to the growing body of evidence that microwave radiation can directly influence brain activity, even at relatively low exposure levels. The power density used (0.16 mW/cm²) is well within the range of everyday exposures from cell phones and WiFi devices, making these findings particularly relevant for regular technology users. What's especially noteworthy is that the researchers found the brain effects localized to the frontal region, which differs from visual light stimulation that affected the back of the brain. The fact that effects became apparent only after repeated exposure cycles suggests that cumulative exposure may be more significant than single, brief exposures. While individual responses varied considerably, the demonstration that microwave radiation can measurably alter brain wave patterns challenges the assumption that non-thermal EMF exposures are biologically inert.
Exposure Details
- Power Density
- 0.16 µW/m²
- Source/Device
- 450 MHz with 7 Hz on-off modulation
Exposure Context
This study used 0.16 µW/m² for radio frequency:
- 16Mx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.1 μW/m²
- 266.7Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 0.0006 μW/cm²
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 Details
This study focuses on the effect of low level microwave radiation on human EEG alpha and theta rhythms.
During the experiment, 20 healthy volunteers were exposed to a 450 MHz microwaves with 7 Hz on-off m...
The changes caused by photic as well as microwave stimulation were more regular on the alpha rhythm....
Therefore, photic and microwave exposure did not cause statistically significant changes in the EEG activity level for the whole group. For some subjects, clear tendencies of changes in microwave on-off cycles were noticeable.
Show BibTeX
@article{h_2004_changes_in_human_eeg_1023,
author = {Hinrikus H and Parts M and Lass J and Tuulik V.},
title = {Changes in human EEG caused by low level modulated microwave stimulation.},
year = {2004},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15300729/},
}