Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Electromagnetic fields and EEG spiking rate in patients with focal epilepsy med./bio.

By: Curcio G, Mazzucchi E, Della Marca G, Vollono C, Rossini PM

Published in: Clin Neurophysiol 2015; 126 (4): 659-666

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The hypothesis should be tested that an acute exposure of epileptic patients to a 902.4 MHz electromagnetic field from a mobile phone might influence the EEG spiking rate.

Background/further details

Preceding studies indicated an increased cortical excitability and inter-hemispheric connectivity caused radiofrequency exposure, which led to the hypothesis of this study. In 12 volunteers with focal epilepsy and lateralized hemispheric spiking, an EEG was recorded both under real and sham exposure conditions separated by 1 week.

Endpoint

effects on the neurological system: cortical activity (EEG)

Exposure

- 902.4 MHz
- mobile communications
- mobile phone
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 902.4 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for 45 min	power: 0.25 W mean power: 2 W peak value SAR: 0.5 W/kg maximum

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	902.4 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 45 min

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Repetition frequency	217 Hz
Additional info	the signal was additionally pulsed with a frequency of 8.33 Hz

Exposure setup

Exposure source	cellular phone
Distance between exposed object and exposure source	1.5 cm
Setup	a mobile phone was positioned on the left and on the right side of the head, respectively, with the help of a modified helmet; during exposure, the active phone was localized on the side of the head where the patient had the epileptic focus and the other one was deactivated
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power	0.25 W	mean	-	-	-
power	2 W	peak value	-	-	-
SAR	0.5 W/kg	maximum	measured and calculated	-	-

Reference articles

Tombini M et al. (2013): Mobile phone emissions modulate brain excitability in patients with focal epilepsy
Vecchio F et al. (2012): Mobile phone emission modulates event-related desynchronization of alpha rhythms and cognitive-motor performance in healthy humans
Curcio G et al. (2008): Psychomotor performance is not influenced by brief repeated exposures to mobile phones
Vecchio F et al. (2007): Mobile phone emission modulates interhemispheric functional coupling of EEG alpha rhythms
Ferreri F et al. (2006): Mobile phone emissions and human brain excitability
Curcio G et al. (2005): Is the brain influenced by a phone call? An EEG study of resting wakefulness
Curcio G et al. (2004): Time-course of electromagnetic field effects on human performance and tympanic temperature

Exposed system:

human
partial body: head

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

effects on the neurological system: spike count and spectral power in and inter-hemispheric frequency coherence between eight regions of the cortex (EEG)
hypersensitivity/subjective complaints: report of subjective adverse effects and frequency of epileptic seizures during and in the weeks after the exposure
control of vigilance level and artifact creation by ocular activity (eye movement, electrooculography)

Investigated system:

investigation on living organism

Investigated organ system:

brain/CNS
eyes

Time of investigation:

before exposure
during exposure
after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Neither the spiking rate nor the risk of incoming seizures was significantly different between expoure and sham exposure, i.e. the clinical status of the patients was not influenced. However, a significant increase of gamma wave spectral power and of inter-hemispheric coherence for beta wave rhythms was found in exposed patients compared to sham exposure.
The authors conclude that the results do not indicate any negative effects of an acute exposure of epileptic patients to a 902.4 MHz electromagnetic field from a mobile phone.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study
double-blind study, cross-over study, counterbalanced study

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

Nagarjunakonda S et al. (2017): Mobile phones and seizures: drug-resistant epilepsy is less common in mobile-phone-using patients
Kouchaki E et al. (2016): Effect of mobile phone radiation on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizure threshold in mice
Vecchio F et al. (2012): Mobile phone emission modulates event-related desynchronization of alpha rhythms and cognitive-motor performance in healthy humans
Vecchio F et al. (2012): Mobile phone emission increases inter-hemispheric functional coupling of electroencephalographic alpha rhythms in epileptic patients
Vecchio F et al. (2010): Mobile phone emission modulates inter-hemispheric functional coupling of EEG alpha rhythms in elderly compared to young subjects
Relova JL et al. (2010): Effects of Cell-Phone Radiation on the Electroencephalographic Spectra of Epileptic Patients
Vecchio F et al. (2007): Mobile phone emission modulates interhemispheric functional coupling of EEG alpha rhythms
Regel SJ et al. (2007): Pulsed radio frequency radiation affects cognitive performance and the waking electroencephalogram
Lopez-Martin E et al. (2006): GSM radiation triggers seizures and increases cerebral c-Fos positivity in rats pretreated with subconvulsive doses of picrotoxin
Curcio G et al. (2005): Is the brain influenced by a phone call? An EEG study of resting wakefulness
Kramarenko AV et al. (2003): Effects of high-frequency electromagnetic fields on human EEG: a brain mapping study
D'Costa H et al. (2003): Human brain wave activity during exposure to radiofrequency field emissions from mobile phones
de Seze R et al. (2001): Evaluation of the Health Impact of the Radio-Frequency Fields from Mobile Telephones