Microwave frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produce widespread neuropsychiatric effects including depression

Risks to Health and Well-Being From Radio-Frequency Radiation Emitted by Cell Phones and Other Wireless Devices

Radiation exposure has long been a concern for the public, policy makers, and health researchers. Beginning with radar during World War II, human exposure to radio-frequency radiation (RFR) technologies has grown substantially over time. In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reviewed the published literature and categorized RFR as a "possible" (Group 2B) human carcinogen. A broad range of adverse human health effects associated with RFR have been reported since the IARC review. In addition, three large-scale carcinogenicity studies in rodents exposed to levels of RFR that mimic lifetime human exposures have shown significantly increased rates of Schwannomas and malignant gliomas, as well as chromosomal DNA damage. Of particular concern are the effects of RFR exposure on the developing brain in children. Compared with an adult male, a cell phone held against the head of a child exposes deeper brain structures to greater radiation doses per unit volume, and the young, thin skull's bone marrow absorbs a roughly 10-fold higher local dose. Experimental and observational studies also suggest that men who keep cell phones in their trouser pockets have significantly lower sperm counts and significantly impaired sperm motility and morphology, including mitochondrial DNA damage. Based on the accumulated evidence, we recommend that IARC re-evaluate its 2011 classification of the human carcinogenicity of RFR, and that WHO complete a systematic review of multiple other health effects such as sperm damage. In the interim, current knowledge provides justification for governments, public health authorities, and physicians/allied health professionals to warn the population that having a cell phone next to the body is harmful, and to support measures to reduce all exposures to RFR.

Novel functions of the primary cilium in bone disease and cancer

The primary cilium, a sensory organelle that emanates from the cell surface of most mammalian cell types during growth arrest, has attracted the attention of many researchers over the past decade. Recently, a large number of new findings have assigned novel functions and roles to the primary cilium in signal transduction and related diseases, which has greatly augmented the importance of the cilium in human health and development. Here, we review emerging evidence supporting the primary cilium as a sensory organelle in signal transduction in microgravity, electromagnetic field sensing, chemosensation and tumorigenesis. We also present an overview of signal transduction crosstalk associated with the primary cilium in bone disease and cancer, including primary cilium-related Ca²⁺ signaling, parathyroid hormone signaling, cAMP signaling, BMP/Smad1/5/8 signaling and Wnt signaling. We anticipate that emerging discoveries about the function of the primary cilium will provide novel insight into the molecular mechanisms of stimulus sensation, signal transduction and pathogenesis.

Conflicts of Interest and Misleading Statements in Official Reports about the Health Consequences of Radiofrequency Radiation and Some New Measurements of Exposure Levels

Official reports to governments throughout the Western world attempt to allay public concern about the increasing inescapability of the microwaves (also known as radiofrequency radiation or RF) emitted by “smart” technologies, by repeating the dogma that the only proven biological effect of RF is acute tissue heating, and assuring us that the levels of radiation to which the public are exposed are significantly less than those needed to cause acute tissue heating. The present paper first shows the origin of this “thermal-only” dogma in the military paranoia of the 1950s. It then reveals how financial conflict of interest and intentionally misleading statements have been powerful factors in preserving that dogma in the face of now overwhelming evidence that it is false, using one 2018 report to ministers of the New Zealand government as an example. Lastly, some new pilot measurements of ambient RF power densities in Auckland city are reported and compared with levels reported in other cities, various international exposure limits, and levels shown scientifically to cause biological harm. It is concluded that politicians in the Western world should stop accepting soothing reports from individuals with blatant conflicts of interest and start taking the health and safety of their communities seriously.

Environmental Exposures and Depression: Biological Mechanisms and Epidemiological Evidence

Mental health and well-being are consistently influenced—directly or indirectly—by multiple environmental exposures. In this review, we have attempted to address some of the most common exposures of the biophysical environment, with a goal of demonstrating how those factors interact with central structures and functions of the brain and thus influence the neurobiology of depression. We emphasize biochemical mechanisms, observational evidence, and areas for future research. Finally, we include aspects of contextual environments—city living, nature, natural disasters, and climate change—and call for improved integration of environmental issues in public health science, policies, and activities. This integration is necessary for reducing the global pandemic of depression.

The cellular effects of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields on osteoblasts: A review

Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have long been known to interact with living organisms and their cells and to bear the potential for therapeutic use. Among the most extensively investigated applications, the use of Pulsed EMFs (PEMFs) has proven effective to ameliorate bone healing in several studies, although the evidence is still inconclusive. This is due in part to our still-poor understanding of the mechanisms by which PEMFs act on cells and affect their functions and to an ongoing lack of consensus on the most effective parameters for specific clinical applications. The present review has compared in vitro studies on PEMFs on different osteoblast models, which elucidate potential mechanisms of action for PEMFs, up to the most recent insights into the role of primary cilia, and highlight the critical issues underlying at least some of the inconsistent results in the available literature. Bioelectromagnetics. 2019;9999:XX-XX. © 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society.

A comprehensive overview on utilizing electromagnetic fields in bone regenerative medicine

Stem cells are one of the most important sources to develope  a new strategy for repairing bone lesions through tissue engineering. Osteogenic differentiation of stem cells can be affected by various factors such as biological, chemical, physiological, and physical ones. The application of ELF-EMFs has been the subject of many research in bone tissue engineering and evidence suggests that this exogenous physical stimulus can promote osteogenic differentiation in several types of  cells. The purpose of this paper is to review the current knowledge on the effects of EMFs on stem cells in bone tissue engineering studies. We recapitulated and analyzed 39 articles that were focused on the application of EMFs for bone tissue engineering purposes. We tabulated scattered information from these articles for easy use and tried to provide an overview of conducted research and identify the knowledge gaps in the field.

Alternating Electric Fields (TTFields) Activate Cav1.2 Channels in Human Glioblastoma Cells

Tumor treating fields (TTFields) represent a novel FDA-approved treatment modality for patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. This therapy applies intermediate frequency alternating electric fields with low intensity to the tumor volume by the use of non-invasive transducer electrode arrays. Mechanistically, TTFields have been proposed to impair formation of the mitotic spindle apparatus and cytokinesis. In order to identify further potential molecular targets, here the effects of TTFields on Ca²⁺-signaling, ion channel activity in the plasma membrane, cell cycle, cell death, and clonogenic survival were tested in two human glioblastoma cell lines in vitro by fura-2 Ca²⁺ imaging, patch-clamp cell-attached recordings, flow cytometry and pre-plated colony formation assay. In addition, the expression of voltage-gated Ca²⁺ (Ca_v) channels was determined by real-time RT-PCR and their significance for the cellular TTFields response defined by knock-down and pharmacological blockade. As a result, TTFields stimulated in a cell line-dependent manner a Ca_v1.2-mediated Ca²⁺ entry, G₁ or S phase cell cycle arrest, breakdown of the inner mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA degradation, and/or decline of clonogenic survival suggesting a tumoricidal action of TTFields. Moreover, inhibition of Ca_v1.2 by benidipine aggravated in one glioblastoma line the TTFields effects suggesting that Ca_v1.2-triggered signaling contributes to cellular TTFields stress response. In conclusion, the present study identified Ca_v1.2 channels as TTFields target in the plasma membrane and provides the rationale to combine TTFields therapy with Ca²⁺ antagonists that are already in clinical use.

Aloe arborescens juice prevents EMF-induced oxidative stress and thus protects from pathophysiology in the male reproductive system in vitro

More and more studies suggest that prolonged exposure to EMF may cause adverse biological effects and point directly to a significantly negative correlation between EMF and human health, especially men fertility. In our previous study, we reported that this could be related to the EMF-induced reactive oxygen species formation, followed by DNA damage, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction. In this study, we decided to expand our research by the search for substances which would prevent EMF-induced damage in spermatogenic cells. Such an agent seems to be Aloe arborescens Mill. juice, which was shown to possess a wide range of protective properties. The administration of aloe extract helps among others to prevent the formation of free radicals by various biochemical pathways. Therefore, the main aim of our study was to provide a significant knowledge concerning the mechanism involved in the multi-pathway cytoprotective response of aloe juice against EMF. The study was carried out in an in vitro mouse spermatogenesis pathway cell lines (GC-1 spg and GC-2 spd). Our results suggest that the aloe juice has many positive effects, especially for the cellular antioxidant systems by reducing the intracellular reactive oxygen species pool induced by EMF. In consequence, aloe juice prevents DNA damage, cell cycle arrest and therefore the viability and metabolic activity of both cell line tested are preserved. In conclusion, our study provides new insight into the underlying mechanisms through which aloe juice prevents spermatogenic cells from cytotoxic and genotoxic events.

The Use of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields to Promote Bone Responses to Biomaterials In Vitro and In Vivo

Implantable biomaterials are extensively used to promote bone regeneration or support endosseous prosthesis in orthopedics and dentistry. Their use, however, would benefit from additional strategies to improve bone responses. Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMFs) have long been known to act on osteoblasts and bone, affecting their metabolism, in spite of our poor understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Hence, we have the hypothesis that PEMFs may also ameliorate cell responses to biomaterials, improving their growth, differentiation, and the expression of a mature phenotype and therefore increasing the tissue integration of the implanted devices and their clinical success. A broad range of settings used for PEMFs stimulation still represents a hurdle to better define treatment protocols and extensive research is needed to overcome this issue. The present review includes studies that investigated the effects of PEMFs on the response of bone cells to different classes of biomaterials and the reports that focused on in vivo investigations of biomaterials implanted in bone.

Wi-Fi is an important threat to human health

Repeated Wi-Fi studies show that Wi-Fi causes oxidative stress, sperm/testicular damage, neuropsychiatric effects including EEG changes, apoptosis, cellular DNA damage, endocrine changes, and calcium overload. Each of these effects are also caused by exposures to other microwave frequency EMFs, with each such effect being documented in from 10 to 16 reviews. Therefore, each of these seven EMF effects are established effects of Wi-Fi and of other microwave frequency EMFs. Each of these seven is also produced by downstream effects of the main action of such EMFs, voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) activation. While VGCC activation via EMF interaction with the VGCC voltage sensor seems to be the predominant mechanism of action of EMFs, other mechanisms appear to have minor roles. Minor roles include activation of other voltage-gated ion channels, calcium cyclotron resonance and the geomagnetic magnetoreception mechanism. Five properties of non-thermal EMF effects are discussed. These are that pulsed EMFs are, in most cases, more active than are non-pulsed EMFs; artificial EMFs are polarized and such polarized EMFs are much more active than non-polarized EMFs; dose-response curves are non-linear and non-monotone; EMF effects are often cumulative; and EMFs may impact young people more than adults. These general findings and data presented earlier on Wi-Fi effects were used to assess the Foster and Moulder (F&M) review of Wi-Fi. The F&M study claimed that there were seven important studies of Wi-Fi that each showed no effect. However, none of these were Wi-Fi studies, with each differing from genuine Wi-Fi in three distinct ways. F&M could, at most conclude that there was no statistically significant evidence of an effect. The tiny numbers studied in each of these seven F&M-linked studies show that each of them lack power to make any substantive conclusions. In conclusion, there are seven repeatedly found Wi-Fi effects which have also been shown to be caused by other similar EMF exposures. Each of the seven should be considered, therefore, as established effects of Wi-Fi.

Mobile Phone Chips Reduce Increases in EEG Brain Activity Induced by Mobile Phone-Emitted Electromagnetic Fields

Recent neurophysiological studies indicate that exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) generated by mobile phone radiation can exert effects on brain activity. One technical solution to reduce effects of EMFs in mobile phone use is provided in mobile phone chips that are applied to mobile phones or attached to their surfaces. To date, there are no systematical studies on the effects of mobile phone chip application on brain activity and the underlying neural mechanisms. The present study investigated whether mobile phone chips that are applied to mobile phones reduce effects of EMFs emitted by mobile phone radiation on electroencephalographic (EEG) brain activity in a laboratory study. Thirty participants volunteered in the present study. Experimental conditions (mobile phone chip, placebo chip, no chip) were set up in a randomized within-subjects design. Spontaneous EEG was recorded before and after mobile phone exposure for two 2-min sequences at resting conditions. During mobile phone exposure, spontaneous EEG was recorded for 30 min during resting conditions, and 5 min during performance of an attention test (d2-R). Results showed increased activity in the theta, alpha, beta and gamma bands during EMF exposure in the placebo and no chip conditions. Application of the mobile phone chip reduced effects of EMFs on EEG brain activity and attentional performance significantly. Attentional performance level was maintained regarding number of edited characters. Further, a dipole analysis revealed different underlying activation patterns in the chip condition compared to the placebo chip and no chip conditions. Finally, a correlational analysis for the EEG frequency bands and electromagnetic high-frequency (HF) emission showed significant correlations in the placebo chip and no chip condition for the theta, alpha, beta, and gamma bands. In the chip condition, a significant correlation of HF with the theta and alpha bands, but not with the beta and gamma bands was shown. We hypothesize that a reduction of EEG beta and gamma activation constitutes the key neural mechanism in mobile phone chip use that supports the brain to a degree in maintaining its natural activity and performance level during mobile phone use.

Sensing Magnetic Fields with Magnetosensitive Ion Channels

[-15]Magnetic nanoparticles are met across many biological species ranging from magnetosensitive bacteria, fishes, bees, bats, rats, birds, to humans. They can be both of biogenetic origin and due to environmental contamination, being either in paramagnetic or ferromagnetic state. The energy of such naturally occurring single-domain magnetic nanoparticles can reach up to 10-20 room k B T in the magnetic field of the Earth, which naturally led to supposition that they can serve as sensory elements in various animals. This work explores within a stochastic modeling framework a fascinating hypothesis of magnetosensitive ion channels with magnetic nanoparticles serving as sensory elements, especially, how realistic it is given a highly dissipative viscoelastic interior of living cells and typical sizes of nanoparticles possibly involved.

Correlation between Changes in Local Earth's Magnetic Field and Cases of Acute Myocardial Infarction

The impact of changes in the geomagnetic field on the human body remains the subject of studies across the world, yet there is no consensus. Current studies are observing effects that require further work by researchers in order to find out the mechanisms that would allow a proper assessment of the correlations between the Earth‘s magnetic field variations and changes in human organisms. The main purpose of this study was to investigate possible correlations between the strength of time-varying aspects of the local Earth’s magnetic field and incidence of myocardial infarctions. Study participants included 435 males and 268 females who had diagnosis of myocardial infarction during the period of 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 and attended the Department of Cardiology at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LUHS), Kauno klinikos. Time varying magnetic field data was collected at the magnetometer site located in Lithuania. After mathematical analysis, the results support the hypothesis that the Earth’s magnetic field has a relationship between the number of acute myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation (STEMI) cases per week and the average weekly geomagnetic field strength in different frequency ranges. Correlations varied in different age groups as well as in males and females, which may indicate diverse organism sensitivity to the Earth’s magnetic field.

The brain as a "hyper-network": the key role of neural networks as main producers of the integrated brain actions especially via the "broadcasted" neuroconnectomics

Investigations of brain complex integrative actions should consider beside neural networks, glial, extracellular molecular, and fluid channels networks. The present paper proposes that all these networks are assembled into the brain hyper-network that has as fundamental components, the tetra-partite synapses, formed by neural, glial, and extracellular molecular networks. Furthermore, peri-synaptic astrocytic processes by modulating the perviousness of extracellular fluid channels control the signals impinging on the tetra-partite synapses. It has also been surmised that global signalling via astrocytes networks and highly pervasive signals, such as electromagnetic fields (EMFs), allow the appropriate integration of the various networks especially at crucial nodes level, the tetra-partite synapses. As a matter of fact, it has been shown that astrocytes can form gap-junction-coupled syncytia allowing intercellular communication characterised by a rapid and possibly long-distance transfer of signals. As far as the EMFs are concerned, the concept of broadcasted neuroconnectomics (BNC) has been introduced to describe highly pervasive signals involved in resetting the information handling of brain networks at various miniaturisation levels. In other words, BNC creates, thanks to the EMFs, generated especially by neurons, different assemblages among the various networks forming the brain hyper-network. Thus, it is surmised that neuronal networks are the "core components" of the brain hyper-network that has as special "nodes" the multi-facet tetra-partite synapses. Furthermore, it is suggested that investigations on the functional plasticity of multi-partite synapses in response to BNC can be the background for a new understanding and perhaps a new modelling of brain morpho-functional organisation and integrative actions.

Functional roles of three cues that provide nonsynaptic modes of communication in the brain: electromagnetic field, oxygen, and carbon dioxide

The integrative actions of the brain depend on the exchange of information among its computational elements. Hence, this phenomenon plays the key role in driving the complex dynamics of the central nervous system, in which true computations interact with noncomputational dynamical processes to generate brain representations of the body and of the body in the external world, and hence the finalistic behavior of the organism. In this context, it should be pointed out that, besides the intercellular interactions mediated by classical electrochemical signals, other types of interactions, namely, "cues" and "coercions," also appear to be exploited by the system to achieve its function. The present review focuses mainly on cues present in the environment and on those produced by cells of the body, which "pervade" the brain and contribute to its dynamics. These cues can also be metabolic substrates, and, in most cases, they are of fundamental importance to brain function and the survival of the entire organism. Three of these highly pervasive cues will be analyzed in greater detail, namely, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and electromagnetic fields (EMF). Special emphasis will be placed on EMF, since several authors have suggested that these highly pervasive energy fluctuations may play an important role in the global integrative actions of the brain; hence, EMF signaling may transcend classical connectionist models of brain function. Thus the new concept of "broadcasted neuroconnectomics" has been introduced, which transcends the current connectomics view of the brain.

Acute Neuroinflammation Promotes Cell Responses to 1800 MHz GSM Electromagnetic Fields in the Rat Cerebral Cortex

Mobile phone communications are conveyed by radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields, including pulse-modulated global system for mobile communications (GSM)-1800 MHz, whose effects on the CNS affected by pathological states remain to be specified. Here, we investigated whether a 2-h head-only exposure to GSM-1800 MHz could impact on a neuroinflammatory reaction triggered by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in 2-week-old or adult rats. We focused on the cerebral cortex in which the specific absorption rate (SAR) of RF averaged 2.9 W/kg. In developing rats, 24 h after GSM exposure, the levels of cortical interleukin-1ß (IL1ß) or NOX2 NADPH oxidase transcripts were reduced by 50 to 60%, in comparison with sham-exposed animals (SAR = 0), as assessed by RT-qPCR. Adult rats exposed to GSM also showed a 50% reduction in the level of IL1ß mRNA, but they differed from developing rats by the lack of NOX2 gene suppression and by displaying a significant growth response of microglial cell processes imaged in anti-Iba1-stained cortical sections. As neuroinflammation is often associated with changes in excitatory neurotransmission, we evaluated changes in expression and phosphorylation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in the adult cerebral cortex by Western blot analyses. We found that GSM exposure decreased phosphorylation at two residues on the GluA1 AMPAR subunit (serine 831 and 845). The GSM-induced changes in gene expressions, microglia, and GluA1 phosphorylation did not persist 72 h after RF exposure and were not observed in the absence of LPS pretreatment. Together, our data provide evidence that GSM-1800 MHz can modulate CNS cell responses triggered by an acute neuroinflammatory state.

Long term impairment of cognitive functions and alterations of NMDAR subunits after continuous microwave exposure

OBJECTIVE

The long term effects of continuous microwave exposure cannot be ignored for the simulation of the real environment and increasing concerns about the negative cognitive effects of microwave exposure.

METHODS

In this study, 220 male Wistar rats were exposed by a 2.856GHz radiation source with the average power density of 0, 2.5, 5 and 10mW/cm² for 6min/day, 5days/week and up to 6weeks. The MWM task, the EEG analysis, the hippocampus structure observation and the western blot were applied until the 12months after microwave exposure to detect the spatial learning and memory abilities, the cortical electrical activity, changes of hippocampal structure and the NMDAR subunits expressions.

RESULTS

Results found that the rats in the 10mW/cm² group showed the decline of spatial learning and memory abilities and EEG disorders (the decrease of EEG frequencies, and increase of EEG amplitudes and delta wave powers). Moreover, changes of basic structure and ultrastructure of hippocampus also found in the 10 and 5mW/cm² groups. The decrease of NR 2A, 2B and p-NR2B might contribute to the impairment of cognitive functions.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggested that the continuous microwave exposure could cause the dose-dependent long term impairment of spatial learning and memory, the abnormalities of EEG and the hippocampal structure injuries. The decrease of NMDAR key subunits and phosphorylation of NR 2B might contribute to the cognitive impairment.

Selective changes in locomotor activity in mice due to low-intensity microwaves amplitude modulated in the EEG spectral domain

Despite the numerous benefits of microwave applications in our daily life, microwaves were associated with diverse neurological complaints such as headaches and impaired sleep patterns, and changes in the electroencephalogram (EEG). To which extent microwaves influence the brain function remains unclear. This exploratory study assessed the behavior and neurochemistry in mice immediately or 4weeks after a 6-day exposure to low-intensity 10-GHz microwaves with an amplitude modulation (AM) of 2 or 8Hz. These modulation frequencies of 2 and 8Hz are situated within the delta and theta-alpha frequency bands in the EEG spectrum and are associated with sleep and active behavior, respectively. During these experiments, the specific absorbance rate was 0.3W/kg increasing the brain temperature with 0.23°C. For the first time, exposing mice to 8-Hz AM significantly reduced locomotor activity in an open field immediately after exposure which normalized after 4weeks. This in contrast to 2-Hz AM which didn't induce significant changes in locomotor activity immediately and 4weeks after exposure. Despite this difference in motor behavior, no significant changes in striatal dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels and DOPAC/DA turnover nor in cortical glutamate (GLU) concentrations were detected. In all cases, no effects on motor coordination on a rotarod, spatial working memory, anxiety nor depressive-like behavior were observed. The outcome of this study indicates that exposing mice to low-intensity 8-Hz AM microwaves can alter the locomotor activity in contrast to 2-Hz AM which did not affect the tested behaviors.

The Neuroinflammatory Etiopathology of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating multi-systemic chronic illness of unknown etiology, classified as a neurological disorder by the World Health Organization (WHO). The symptomatology of the condition appears to emanate from a variety of sources of chronic neurological disturbance and associated distortions, and chronicity, in noxious sensory signaling and neuroimmune activation. This article incorporates a summary review and discussion of biomedical research considered relevant to this essential conception perspective. It is intended to provide stakeholders with a concise, integrated outline disease model in order to help demystify this major public health problem. The primary etiopathological factors presented are: (A) Postural/biomechanical pain signaling, affecting adverse neuroexcitation, in the context of compression, constriction, strain, or damage of vertebral-regional bone and neuromuscular tissues; (B) Immune mediated inflammatory sequelae, in the context of prolonged immunotropic neurotrophic infection—with lymphotropic/gliotropic/glio-toxic varieties implicated in particular; (C) A combination of factors A and B. Sustained glial activation under such conditions is associated with oxidative and nitrosative stress, neuroinflammation, and neural sensitivity. These processes collectively enhance the potential for multi-systemic disarray involving endocrine pathway aberration, immune and mitochondrial dysfunction, and neurodegeneration, and tend toward still more intractable synergistic neuro-glial dysfunction (gliopathy), autoimmunity, and central neuronal sensitization.