Transcranial Static Magnetic Field Stimulation over the Primary Motor Cortex Induces Plastic Changes in Cortical Nociceptive Processing.

Bioeffects Seen

Kirimoto H, Tamaki H, Otsuru N, Yamashiro K, Onishi H, Nojima I, Oliviero A. · 2018

Static magnetic fields altered brain pain processing in just 15 minutes, showing how readily our nervous systems respond to magnetic field exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers applied static magnetic fields to the brain's motor cortex for 15 minutes and found it reduced how strongly participants responded to painful electrical stimuli. The magnetic stimulation appeared to change how the brain processes pain signals, with effects lasting at least 10 minutes after the treatment ended. This suggests static magnetic fields might potentially be developed as a non-invasive treatment for chronic pain conditions.

Why This Matters

This study demonstrates that even brief exposure to static magnetic fields can measurably alter brain function, specifically how we process pain. What's particularly significant is that these neurological changes occurred after just 15 minutes of exposure and persisted for at least 10 minutes afterward. The researchers are exploring this as a potential therapeutic application, but the findings also highlight how readily magnetic fields can influence our nervous system's basic operations.

While the study focused on intentional medical applications, it raises important questions about unintended exposures. The reality is that we're increasingly surrounded by magnetic field sources in our daily environment, from electronics to transportation systems. The evidence shows our brains are more responsive to these fields than many people realize, and changes in pain processing could have broader implications for neurological health and function.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: 15 min

Study Details

The aim of this study is to observe Transcranial Static Magnetic Field Stimulation over the Primary Motor Cortex Induces Plastic Changes in Cortical Nociceptive Processing.

we performed non-invasive modulation of intra-epidermal electrical stimulation-evoked potentials (IE...

The IES-EP amplitude was significantly reduced immediately after tSMS over M1, whereas tSMS over S1 ...

Cite This Study

Kirimoto H, Tamaki H, Otsuru N, Yamashiro K, Onishi H, Nojima I, Oliviero A. (2018). Transcranial Static Magnetic Field Stimulation over the Primary Motor Cortex Induces Plastic Changes in Cortical Nociceptive Processing. Front Hum Neurosci. 12:63, 2018.

Show BibTeX

@article{h_2018_transcranial_static_magnetic_field_1751,
  author = {Kirimoto H and Tamaki H and Otsuru N and Yamashiro K and Onishi H and Nojima I and Oliviero A.},
  title = {Transcranial Static Magnetic Field Stimulation over the Primary Motor Cortex Induces Plastic Changes in Cortical Nociceptive Processing.},
  year = {2018},
  doi = {10.3389/fnhum.2018.00063},
  url = {https://internal-journal.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00063/full},
}

DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00063

Cited By (25 papers)

Static magnetic stimulation in the central nervous system: a systematic review
N. Viudes-Sarrion et al. (2021) - 8 citations
Influential
Safety and recommendations for TMS use in healthy subjects and patient populations, with updates on training, ethical and regulatory issues: Expert Guidelines
Simone Rossi et al. (2020) - 974 citations
Pain-related evoked potentials after intraepidermal electrical stimulation to Aδ and C fibers in patients with neuropathic pain
S. Omori et al. (2017) - 35 citations
Static magnetic field stimulation of the supplementary motor area modulates resting-state activity and motor behavior
J. Pineda-Pardo et al. (2019) - 34 citations
Clinical neurophysiology of pain.
J. Lefaucheur (2019) - 33 citations
The effects of transcranial static magnetic fields stimulation over the supplementary motor area on anticipatory postural adjustments
D. Tsuru et al. (2020) - 18 citations
A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Techniques to Reduce Violence Proneness by Interfering in Anger and Irritability
Á. Romero-Martínez et al. (2020) - 14 citations
Null Effect of Transcranial Static Magnetic Field Stimulation over the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex on Behavioral Performance in a Go/NoGo Task
Tatsunori Watanabe et al. (2021) - 12 citations
Accuracy in Pinch Force Control Can Be Altered by Static Magnetic Field Stimulation Over the Primary Motor Cortex
K. Nakagawa et al. (2019) - 11 citations
Transcranial Static Magnetic Field Stimulation Over the Temporal Cortex Modulating the Right Ear Advantage in Dichotic Listening
K. Heimrath et al. (2019) - 11 citations

Quick Questions About This Study

Research suggests static magnetic fields may help reduce chronic pain. A 2018 study found that 15-minute magnetic field treatments to the brain's motor cortex reduced participants' pain responses to electrical stimuli, with effects lasting at least 10 minutes after treatment ended.

Yes, magnetic fields can affect how your brain processes pain signals. Researchers found that static magnetic field stimulation over the motor cortex changed cortical pain processing, reducing the brain's response to painful stimuli in healthy participants during laboratory testing.

This study found no harmful effects from brief magnetic field exposure to the brain. The 15-minute static magnetic field treatments appeared safe and actually reduced pain sensitivity temporarily, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits rather than negative brain effects.

Static magnetic fields can modify nerve signal processing in the brain. Research shows that magnetic stimulation over the motor cortex reduces the amplitude of pain-related electrical responses, indicating the fields alter how neurons communicate pain information.

Preliminary research indicates magnetic stimulation may provide pain relief. A controlled study found that static magnetic fields applied to the brain's motor cortex reduced pain responses immediately after treatment, suggesting potential as a non-invasive pain management approach.