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Brain & Nervous System106 citations

Sleep EEG alterations: effects of different pulse-modulated radio frequency electromagnetic fields.

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Schmid MR, Loughran SP, Regel SJ, Murbach M, Bratic Grunauer A, Rusterholz T, Bersagliere A, Kuster N, Achermann P · 2012

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EEG power in the spindle frequency range was increased during non-rapid eye movement sleep following the 14-Hz pulse-modulated condition, while no clear cognitive effects were seen.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Thirty young healthy men were exposed, at weekly intervals, for 30 minutes directly before an 8-hour sleep period to a 900-MHz RF EMF pulse-modulated at 14 Hz, at 217 Hz, or to a sham control. EEG power in the spindle frequency range was increased during non-rapid eye movement sleep after the 14-Hz pulse-modulated condition, while a similar but non-significant increase was also observed after the 217-Hz condition. No clear exposure-related effects on cognitive performance were seen, and the exposure-induced effect showed considerable individual variability.

Why This Matters

The researchers investigated whether pulse-modulation frequency components in the range of sleep spindles may be involved in mediating effects on the brain. Both active exposure conditions had a peak spatial specific absorption rate of 2 W kg−1. During exposure, participants performed three cognitive tasks measuring attention, reaction speed, and working memory, presented in a fixed order. The authors concluded that modulation frequency components within a physiological range may be sufficient to induce these effects on brain physiology. The authors noted that the time-course of the effect remains variable across studies.

Exposure Details

SAR
2 W/kg
Source/Device
900 MHz
Exposure Duration
30 min

Exposure Context

This study used 2 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):

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: 2 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)This level is 1 times the FCC limit
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 900 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 900 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

We investigated whether pulse‐modulation frequency components in the range of sleep spindles may be involved in mediating these effects.

Thirty young healthy men were exposed, at weekly intervals, to three different conditions for 30 min...

Electroencephalographic power in the spindle frequency range was increased during non‐rapid eye move...

Cite This Study
Schmid MR, Loughran SP, Regel SJ, Murbach M, Bratic Grunauer A, Rusterholz T, Bersagliere A, Kuster N, Achermann P (2012). Sleep EEG alterations: effects of different pulse-modulated radio frequency electromagnetic fields. J Sleep Res. 21(1):50-58, 2012a.
Show BibTeX
@article{mr_2012_sleep_eeg_alterations_effects_178,
  author = {Schmid MR and Loughran SP and Regel SJ and Murbach M and Bratic Grunauer A and Rusterholz T and Bersagliere A and Kuster N and Achermann P},
  title = {Sleep EEG alterations: effects of different pulse-modulated radio frequency electromagnetic fields.},
  year = {2012},
  doi = {10.1111/j.1365-2869.2011.00918.x},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2011.00918.x},
}
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2011.00918.x

Cited By (106 papers)

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Quick Questions About This Study

Participants were exposed to a 900-MHz RF EMF pulse-modulated at 14 Hz or 217 Hz, or to a sham control, for 30 minutes before sleep.
EEG power in the spindle frequency range was increased during non-rapid eye movement sleep following the 14-Hz pulse-modulated condition.
No clear exposure-related effects on cognitive performance were seen.
The exposure-induced effect showed considerable individual variability.
The results provide further evidence that pulse-modulated RF EMF alter brain physiology, and modulation frequency components within a physiological range may be sufficient to induce these effects.