Prenatal exposure to an elf rotating magnetic field, ambulatory behavior, and lunar distance at birth: a correlation

Geophysical Variables and Behavior: XLIX. Moon Mechanisms and Myths: A Critical Appraisal of Explanations of Purported Lunar Effects on Human Behavior

In this paper the explanations put forward by lunar advocates to account for a “lunar effect” on human behavior are critically appraised. The hypotheses considered are ozone, moonlight, gravity, tidal force, geomagnetism, electromagnetism, weather, ions, and ELF waves. It is concluded that none of these are sufficient to explain the alleged effects of the moon on human behavior. In view of (a) the lack of a satisfactory mechanism, (b) the lack of a reliable connection between lunar periodicities and human behavior, and (c) the generally negative results obtained in studies, it is suggested that the scientific community exercise great caution with regard to further studies claiming lunar effects on human behavior.

Psychophysiological Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields: A Review

Extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic field-waves, defined in this paper as occupying the frequency band of .01 to 100 Hz, are associated with geomagnetic disturbances, weather perturbations, electrical appliance discharges, and possibly seismic movements. ELF electromagnetic phenomena have been recorded as sinusoidal-like wave forms or as ELF pulses of short duration from higher frequency (10 to 100 kHz) waves. Although natural ELF electrical component intensities range from less than 1 mV/m to slightly more than 1 V/m with magnetic components less than a μ gauss and calculated power densities of 10−8 watts/m3, these waves can propagate long distances without appreciable attenuation and penetrate housing structures. Theoretically, it has been calculated that energy available from ELF phenomena can contribute to neuroenergetic functioning and protein-lipid activity. Correlational and experimental data indicate that ELF fields can influence reaction time, timing behavior, ambulatory behavior, oxygen uptake, endocrine changes, cardiovascular functions, and precipitation-clotting times of colloids. Possible mechanisms of ELF-organismic interactions are discussed.

Reproductive and teratologic effects of low-frequency electromagnetic fields: a review of in vivo and in vitro studies using animal models

In order to evaluate the reproductive risks of low-frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF), it is important to include epidemiological and animal studies in the evaluation, as well as the appropriate basic science information in developmental biology and teratology. This review presents a critical review of in vivo animal studies and in vitro tests, as well as the biological plausibility of the allegations of reproductive risks. In vitro or in vivo studies in nonhuman species can be used to study mechanisms and the effects that have been suggested by human investigations. Only well designed whole-animal teratology studies are appropriate when the epidemiologists and clinical teratologists are uncertain about the environmental risks. Even the inference of teratogenesis cannot be drawn from culture experiments, because the investigator is not in a position to know whether any of his observations will be manifested in living organisms at term. Other aspects of reproductive failure such as abortion, infertility, stillbirth, and prematurity, cannot be addressed by in vitro or culture experiments. In fact, they are very difficult to design and interpret in nonprimate in vivo models. The biological plausibility some of the basic mechanisms involved in reproductive pathology were evaluated, concentrating primarily on the mechanisms involved in the production of birth defects. The studies dealing with mutagenesis, cell death and cell proliferation using in vitro systems do not indicate that EMFs have the potential for deleteriously affecting proliferating and differentiating embryonic cells at the exposures to which populations are usually exposed. Of course, there is no environmental agent that has no effect, deleterious or not, at very high exposures. The animal and in vitro studies dealing with the reproductive effects of EMF exposure are extensive. There are >70 EMF research projects that deal with some aspect of reproduction and growth. Unfortunately, a large proportion of the embryology studies used the chick embryo and evaluated the presence or absence of teratogenesis after 48-52 h of development. This is not a stage of development at which an investigator could determine whether teratogenesis occurred. The presence of clinically relevant teratogenesis can only be determined at the end of the gestational period. The chick embryo studies are also of little assistance to the epidemiologist or clinician in determining whether EMF represents a hazard to the human embryo, and the results are, in any event, inconsistent. On the other hand, the studies involving nonhuman mammalian organisms dealing with fetal growth, congenital malformations, embryonic loss, and neurobehavioral development were predominantly negative and are therefore not supportive of the hypothesis that low-frequency EMF exposures result in reproductive toxicity.

Reproductive and teratologic effects of electromagnetic fields

The reproductive risks of electromagnetic fields (EMF) were evaluated based on an extensive review of the scientific literature pertaining to human epidemiologic studies, secular trend data, in vivo animal studies and in vitro studies, and biologic plausibility. The epidemiologic studies involving the reproductive effects of EMF exposures to human populations have included populations exposed to: (1) video display terminals (VDTs), and (2) power lines and household appliances. The clinical use of diagnostic MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) has been increasing, but there are few reports or studies of pregnant women or individuals of reproductive age who have been exposed to MRI, and whose reproductive performance has been evaluated. The population that has been studied most frequently are women exposed to VDTs, but their EMF exposures are extremely low and frequently are at the level of the ambient EMF in a house or office. The results of epidemiologic studies involving VDTs are generally negative for the reproductive effects that have been studied. Based on the number of studies, the exposure levels, and the fairly consistent results, it can be argued that VDT epidemiologic studies should no longer be given priority. There have been fewer studies concerned with the reproductive risks of power lines, electric substations, and home appliances. In some publications, positive findings for reproductive risks were reported, but the more consistent findings indicate that EMF, even at these higher exposures, do not generate a measurable increase in reproductive failures in the human population. When compared to other fields of human epidemiology, it is obvious that these studies have many difficulties. Exposures are rarely determined. Studies frequently involve small sample sizes and the investigators rarely have a combined expertise in EMF physics, engineering, and reproductive biology. Because of the allegation that there may be particular windows of frequency, wave shape, and intensity that may be deleterious, it is impossible to disregard low frequency EMF exposures as having no deleterious reproductive effects. Yet the epidemiologic data that are available would point in that direction. Secular trend data analysis of birth defect incidence data indicate that increasing generation of electric power during this century is not associated with a concomitant rise in the incidence of birth defects. There are over 70 EMF research projects dealing with animal and in vitro studies that are concerned with some aspect of reproduction and growth. Unfortunately, a large proportion of the embryology studies utilized the chick embryo and evaluated the presence or absence of teratogenesis after 48 to 52 hours of development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Behavioral effects of long-term exposure to magnetic fields in rats

Male rats and pregnant and nonpregnant female rats of the Wistar strain were sham-exposed or exposed to static (0.49 T) or to extremely low frequency (50 Hz) magnetic fields (0.018 T) 2 h per day for 20 consecutive days. Measures of irritability, exploratory activity, and locomotion were made in that order before and after the 4th, 10th, and 17th 2-h exposures. A reliable decrease in the irritability of rats after repeated exposure to a static or undulating field was found. No significant effects of treatment conditions on open-field behavior and locomotor activity were observed. Pregnancy had no influence on the behavioral end points. These results indicate that irritability of rats may be used as a simple behavioral indicant of mammalian sensitivity to magnetic fields.

Quantitative increases in temporal lobe symptoms in human males are proportional to postnatal geomagnetic activity: verification by canonical correlation

Enhanced geomagnetic activity during episodes of biochemical stress has been correlated with inferences of increased liability within deep temporal lobe structures. Because adult limbic epilepsy is frequently associated with perinatal hypoxia or metabolic disruption within this region, a weak positive correlation was expected between possible signs of mesiobasal temporal lobe lability in normal adults and perinatal geomagnetic activity. Canonical correlation demonstrated that young adult males (n = 243) displayed a positive (r = 0.31) relationship between the intensity of geomagnetic disturbance the day after birth only and a history of subjective depersonalization, anomalous visual and olfactory experiences. The effects was very clear when aa values exceeded 30 nT (gamma). Temporal lobe signs for these males were similar to those reported by normal young adult females (n = 313) who did not display any consistent correlation between these measures and perinatal geomagnetic disturbance. The results suggest that interactions between perinatal neurochemistry and the correlates of geomagnetic activity might permanently alter portions of the male limbic system.