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Long-lasting effects of transcranial static magnetic field stimulation on motor cortex excitability.

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Dileone M, Mordillo-Mateos L, Oliviero A, Foffani G. · 2018

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Thirty-minute magnetic field exposures created lasting brain changes that persisted after exposure ended, showing duration matters for neurological effects.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers applied static magnetic fields to the motor cortex of 45 healthy volunteers for 30 minutes and measured brain activity changes using magnetic stimulation tests. They found that longer magnetic field exposure (30 minutes) created lasting changes in brain excitability that persisted for at least 30 minutes after exposure ended, while shorter exposure (10 minutes) produced only temporary effects. This suggests that magnetic field duration matters significantly for how our brains respond to electromagnetic stimulation.

Why This Matters

This research demonstrates that static magnetic fields can produce measurable, lasting changes in brain function - and that exposure duration is a critical factor. The science shows that 30-minute exposures created persistent alterations in neural excitability patterns that differed fundamentally from shorter exposures. What this means for you is that magnetic field effects on the brain aren't just immediate responses that disappear when exposure stops. The reality is that longer exposures can create neurological changes that outlast the exposure itself. While this study used controlled laboratory conditions, it raises important questions about cumulative effects from everyday magnetic field exposures, particularly given that we're increasingly surrounded by magnetic field-generating devices throughout our daily lives.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: 30 min

Study Details

We examined whether increasing the duration of tSMS to 30 min leads to long-lasting changes in cortical excitability, which is critical for translating tSMS toward clinical applications.

The study comprised 5 experiments in 45 healthy subjects. We assessed the impact of 30-min-tSMS over...

30-min-tSMS decreased MEP amplitude compared to sham for at least 30 min after the end of the stimul...

These results suggest a dissociation of intracortical changes in the consolidation from short-lasting to long-lasting decrease of corticospinal excitability induced by tSMS. The long-lasting effects of 30-min-tSMS open the way to the translation of this simple, portable and low-cost technique toward clinical trials.

Cite This Study
Dileone M, Mordillo-Mateos L, Oliviero A, Foffani G. (2018). Long-lasting effects of transcranial static magnetic field stimulation on motor cortex excitability. Brain Stimul. 11(4):676-688, 2018.
Show BibTeX
@article{m_2018_longlasting_effects_of_transcranial_1739,
  author = {Dileone M and Mordillo-Mateos L and Oliviero A and Foffani G.},
  title = {Long-lasting effects of transcranial static magnetic field stimulation on motor cortex excitability.},
  year = {2018},
  
  url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1935861X18300688},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers applied static magnetic fields to the motor cortex of 45 healthy volunteers for 30 minutes and measured brain activity changes using magnetic stimulation tests. They found that longer magnetic field exposure (30 minutes) created lasting changes in brain excitability that persisted for at least 30 minutes after exposure ended, while shorter exposure (10 minutes) produced only temporary effects. This suggests that magnetic field duration matters significantly for how our brains respond to electromagnetic stimulation.