Local Exposure of Brain Central Areas to a Pulsed ELF Magnetic Field for a Purposeful Change in EEG.
Amirifalah Z, Firoozabadi SM, Shafiei SA. · 2013
View Original AbstractWeak magnetic fields at 200 μT can alter brain activity by up to 27%, showing our brains respond to everyday-level electromagnetic exposures.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed 10 women to weak magnetic fields targeting brain regions for 9 minutes. The exposure reduced specific brainwave activity by 12-27% after treatment ended. This suggests targeted magnetic fields could potentially help treat conditions like anxiety by calming overactive brain areas.
Why This Matters
This study demonstrates that even relatively weak magnetic field exposures can measurably alter brain function in healthy individuals. The 200 μT exposure level used here is comparable to what you might encounter near some household appliances or power lines, though the pulsed nature and targeted application make direct comparisons challenging. What's particularly noteworthy is that the brain changes persisted after the exposure ended, suggesting these fields can have lasting neurological effects. While the researchers frame their findings as potentially therapeutic, the reality is that any technology capable of altering brain activity raises important questions about unintended exposures from our increasingly electromagnetic environment. The science demonstrates that our brains are sensitive to these fields at levels we encounter in daily life.
Exposure Details
- Magnetic Field
- 0.2 mG
- Source/Device
- 10, 14, and 18 Hz
- Exposure Duration
- 9 minutes
Exposure Context
This study used 0.2 mG for magnetic fields:
- 10Kx above the Building Biology guideline of 0.2 mG
- 2Kx above the BioInitiative Report recommendation of 1 mG
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 examines the simultaneous exposure of 2 brain areas in the location of central electrodes (C3 and C4) to a weak and pulsed extremely low-frequency magnetic field (ELF-MF) on the electroencephalogram (EEG).
The intent is to change the EEG for a therapeutic application, such as neurofeedback, by inducing th...
The paired t test revealed that local pulsed ELF-MF significantly decreases beta (15-25 Hz), sensori...
The study suggests that this technique may be applied in the treatment of anxiety; however, further investigation is needed.
Show BibTeX
@article{z_2013_local_exposure_of_brain_219,
author = {Amirifalah Z and Firoozabadi SM and Shafiei SA.},
title = {Local Exposure of Brain Central Areas to a Pulsed ELF Magnetic Field for a Purposeful Change in EEG.},
year = {2013},
doi = {10.1177/1550059412460164},
url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1550059412460164},
}