Modification of activation and evaluation properties of narratives by weak complex magnetic field patterns that simulate limbic burst firing

Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS), Hypnosis, and Hypnotizability: Literature Review and Future Directions

Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS) stands as an advanced technology embraced by researchers and clinicians to influence thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. The prevalent NIBS methods include transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), both proficient in either exciting or depressing neural activities in specific cortical regions. Recently, NIBS has been integrated into hypnosis research with the goal of enhancing hypnotizability. Specifically, the limited existing studies have predominantly focused on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) due to its significant role in neutral hypnosis. Overall, these studies suggest the fascinating potential to alter hypnotizability and hypnotic phenomena, although the impact on responsiveness to suggestions remains modest. In contrast to psychological and pharmacological methods, NIBS enables alterations in hypnotic experiences that are independent of operators and noninvasive. This grants researchers the chance to employ a causal approach in investigating the brain-behavior relationship associated with suggestibility. The present paper evaluates existing NIBS studies in this domain, delving into the neurocognitive mechanisms at play and their potential implications for hypnosis research and practice.

Comparisons of responses by planarian to micromolar to attomolar dosages of morphine or naloxone and/or weak pulsed magnetic fields: revealing receptor subtype affinities and non-specific effects

PURPOSE

The behavioral responses of planaria to the exposures of a range of concentrations of morphine (μM to attoM) or the μ-opiate antagonist naloxone or to either of these compounds and a burst-firing magnetic field (5 μT) were studied.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The locomotor velocity (LMV) of planaria was measured after individual worms were exposed to increasing concentrations from attomolar to micromolar of morphine or naloxone, physiologically patterned magnetic fields or a combination of the two.

RESULTS

Compared to spring water controls, the 2-hour exposure to the patterned magnetic field before measurement reduced activity by about 50% which was comparable to the non-specific effects of morphine and naloxone across all dosages except 1 attomolar that did not differ from spring water. The specific dosage of 100 nM produced additional marked reduction in activity for planaria exposed to either morphine or naloxone while only 1 pM of morphine produced this effect.

CONCLUSION

The results support the presence of at least two receptor subtypes that mediate the diminished activity effects elicited by morphine specifically and suggests that exposure to the specifically patterned magnetic field produces a behavioral suppression whose magnitude is similar to the 'dose independent' effects from this opiate.

Potential production of Hughlings Jackson's "parasitic consciousness" by physiologically-patterned weak transcerebral magnetic fields: QEEG and source localization

Exotic experiences such as the sensing of another consciousness or the detachment of consciousness from the body are occasionally reported by individuals with partial seizures from a temporal lobe focus. The experiences display the characteristics of Hughlings Jackson's "parasitic consciousness". We have hypothesized that these experiences are encouraged by slight discrepancies in hemispheric activity that can be simulated by application of weak, physiologically-patterned magnetic fields across the cerebral hemispheres. Electroencephalographic and Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (sLORETA) data revealed altered activity bands within specific regions within the cerebral cortices during these experiences. The clear changes in power of brain activity were discerned after consistent durations of exposure to specifically patterned weak magnetic fields. Millisecond range point durations were required. The technology may be useful to explore the subjective components associated with complex partial seizures.

A novel magnetic stimulator increases experimental pain tolerance in healthy volunteers - a double-blind sham-controlled crossover study

The ‘complex neural pulse’^TM (CNP) is a neuromodulation protocol employing weak pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF). A pioneering paper reported an analgesic effect in healthy humans after 30 minutes of CNP-stimulation using three nested whole head coils. We aimed to devise and validate a stimulator with a novel design entailing a multitude of small coils at known anatomical positions on a head cap, to improve applicability. The main hypothesis was that CNP delivery with this novel device would also increase heat pain thresholds. Twenty healthy volunteers were enrolled in this double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover study. Thirty minutes of PEMF (CNP) or sham was applied to the head. After one week the other treatment was given. Before and after each treatment, primary and secondary outcomes were measured. Primary outcome was heat pain threshold (HPT) measured with thermal quantitative sensory testing. Other outcomes were warmth detection threshold, and aspects of cognition, emotion and motor performance. As hypothesized heat pain threshold was significantly increased after the PEMF stimulation. All other outcomes were unaltered by the PEMF but there was a trend level reduction of cognitive performance after PEMF stimulation as measured by the digit-symbol substitution task. Results from this pilot study suggest that our device is able to stimulate the brain and to modulate its function. This is in agreement with previous studies that used similar magnetic field strengths to stimulate the brain. Specifically, pain control may be achieved with PEMF and for this analgesic effect, coil design does not appear to play a dominant role. In addition, the flexible configuration with small coils on a head cap improves clinical applicability.

Comparable proportions of classes of experiences and intracerebral consequences for surgical stimulation and external application of weak magnetic field patterns: implications for converging effects in complex partial seizures

The similarity of the proportions of different types of experiences reported during surgical electrical stimulation of epileptic temporal lobes published in the scientific literature and those reported following exposures to weak, applied magnetic fields was supported by direct comparisons in a retrospective analysis. Of the 20 types of specific experiences, the surgical stimulation groups reported proportionally more fear experiences, while the groups exposed to temporally patterned magnetic fields applied across the temporoparietal regions reported more somesthetic and vestibular experiences. There were no group differences for the other 17 types of experiences. Calculations indicated that the spread of charge displacement from neuronal membranes by the currents employed in the surgical studies and the magnetic field energy associated with the applied fields could affect similar numbers of cortical neurons. The similar subjective experiences of the two techniques indicate that the less invasive procedures might be employed to systematically study complex partial seizures.

Experimental facilitation of the sensed presence is predicted by the specific patterns of the applied magnetic fields, not by suggestibility: re-analyses of 19 experiments

If all experiences are generated by brain activity, then experiences of God and spirits should also be produced by the appropriate cerebral stimulation. During the last 15 years experiments have shown that the sensed presence of a "Sentient Being" can be reliably evoked by very specific temporal patterns of weak (<1 microT) transcerebral magnetic fields applied across the temporoparietal region of the two hemispheres. Recently Granqvist et al. (2005) attributed these effects to suggestibility and exotic beliefs. Re-analyses with additional data for 407 subjects (19 experiments) showed that the magnetic configurations, not the subjects' exotic beliefs or suggestibility, were responsible for the experimental facilitation of sensing a presence. On the other hand, the subjects' histories of sensed presences before exposure to the experimental setting were moderately correlated with exotic beliefs and temporal lobe sensitivity. Several recent experiments have shown that the side attributed to the presence at the time of the experience is sensitive to the temporal parameters of the fields, the hemisphere to which they are maximized, and the person's a priori beliefs. The importance of verifying the specific timing and temporal pattern of the software-generated fields and following an effective protocol is emphasized.

Thermal analgesia induced by 30-min exposure to 1 μT burst-firing magnetic fields is strongly enhanced in a dose-dependent manner by the α2 agonist clonidine in rats

Most of the research concerning analgesia following brief exposures to physiologically patterned weak magnetic fields has focused upon their morphine-related properties. However, the alpha-adrenergic system interacts with morphine-induced analgesia. In the present study we found that prazosin, phenylephrine, and yohimbine did not augment the robust analgesia to thermal stimuli in rats evoked by whole-body exposures to a 1 microT, burst-firing magnetic field presented once every 4s for 30 min. However, the alpha2 agonist clonidine enhanced the field-induced analgesia in a dose-dependent manner that reflected a receptor-saturation response. Potentiation between the field and clonidine was evident at 0.2 mg/kg and approached asymptote at 1 mg/kg. The combination of the effects from exposure to the magnetic field and the clonidine explained more than 75% of the variance in the change in nociceptive thresholds from baseline levels. The possibility that properly patterned weak magnetic fields could be a powerful adjunct to pharmacological treatments of pain is considered.

The sensed presence within experimental settings: implications for the male and female concept of self

The sense of "a presence" or of a sentient being during partial sensory deprivation and exposure to very weak, complex magnetic fields across the cerebral hemispheres may be a normal neurocognitive experience that is associated with the brief intrusion of the right hemispheric homologue of the left hemispheric (and strongly linguistic) sense of self into awareness. Within an optimal experimental setting, women reported more frequent experiences of a sensed presence than did men, and men were more likely than women to consider these experiences as "intrusions" from extrapersonal or ego-alien sources. Both effects were predicted by the vectorial hemisphericity hypothesis and the known neurocognitive differences between right-handed men and right-handed women. Sociobiological implications for gender differences in the probability of intercalation between distinctive processes within the left and right temporoparietal lobes are discussed.

Experimental facilitation of the sensed presence: possible intercalation between the hemispheres induced by complex magnetic fields

This experiment was designed to test the hypothesis that the sensed presence, the feeling of a proximal sentient being, can be evoked within the laboratory. Under double-blind conditions, 48 university men and women were exposed to weak (100 nT to 1 muT), complex, pulsed magnetic fields that were applied primarily over the right temporoparietal region, primarily over the left temporoparietal region, or equally across both hemispheres (one treatment per group) for 20 minutes while wearing opaque goggles in a very quiet room. A fourth group was exposed to a sham-field condition. Subjects who received greater stimulation over the right hemisphere or equal stimulation across both hemispheres reported more frequent incidences of presences, fears, and odd smells than did the subjects who received greater stimulation over the left hemisphere or who were exposed to the sham-field condition. The results suggest that the sensed presence is subject to experimental manipulation. This experimental procedure could be employed to explore the idea that the experience of a sensed presence is a resident property of the human brain and may be the fundamental source for phenomena attributed to visitations by gods, spirits, and other ephemeral phenomena.

Geophysical variables and behavior: XCVIII. Ambient geomagnetic activity and experiences of "memories": interactions with sex and implications for receptive psi experiences

During 96 nonsequential days over a 3-yr. period, a total of 53 men and 86 women were exposed only once for 30 min. to transcerebral, weak complex magnetic fields while they sat alone within a quiet chamber. They were asked to record the frequency of specific experiences after the exposure was completed. There was a significant interaction between sex and global geomagnetic activity for the incidence of experiences attributed to memories. Women reported more experiences attributed to "childhood memories" when geomagnetic activity was less than 20 nT, while men reported more of these experiences when the activity was more than 20 nT. Re-analyses of a database of "paranormal experiences" reported by 395 separate individuals over a 100-yr. period indicated that more men than women reported "precognitive experiences" on days the geomagnetic activity was above 20 nT while women reported such experiences if the geomagnetic activity was below 20 nT. These results suggest that these experiences, be they veridical or illusory, may be influenced by global geomagnetic activity that affect the neuroelectrical or neurochemical processes associated with memory consolidation or the attribution of the serial order of experiences during retrieval.

Suppression of analgesia in rats induced by morphine or L-NAME but not both drugs by microTesla, frequency-modulated magnetic fields

In Experiment I, the nociceptive threshold for a criterion response to thermal stimuli (hot plate) for rats was obtained following injections with one of various dosages of either morphine or the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L-NAME. On the bases of these results, rats in Experiment II were injected with either morphine (4 mg/kg), L-NAME (50 mg/kg), both morphine and L-NAME, or saline after baseline measurements for nociception and then exposed to either a 1 microTesla magnetic field or to a sham field for 30 min. The magnetic field, presented once every 4 sec, was a frequency-modulated pattern whose pixel durations, for each of the 837 successive values, were 1 msec. Nociceptive thresholds were measured immediately after the exposure and 30 min later. The results indicated that exposure to this magnetic field abolished the analgesic effects of morphine or L-NAME when injected separately but not when injected together relative to rats that had received these drugs and had been exposed to the sham field.

Experimental production of illusory (false) memories in reconstructions of narratives: effect size and potential mediation by right hemispheric stimulation from complex, weak magnetic fields

This experiment was designed to discern the proportion of false, inferential and verbatim memories that would be included in the reconstruction, one week later, of a 5 min narrative containing ambiguous but emotional content about a little boy. After 48 subjects were administered Spiegel's Hypnosis Induction Profile, they listened to the narrative, were exposed to one of four applications of transcerebral weak, complex magnetic fields for 30 min and then given either an accurate or inaccurate short summary of the story. One week later the group who received the erroneous summary reported more false memories about the original story than did the reference group; this treatment accommodated about 40% of the variance in numbers of false memories. Only an indicator of electrical lability within the temporal lobes (but not hypnotizability) was strongly associated with the numbers of inferential memories but not the numbers of false memories. The group that received transcerebral stimulation over the right hemisphere by a complex magnetic field and the erroneous summary reported three times the numbers of false memories compared to the other groups. Whereas verbatim memories showed a strong primacy effect inferential memories exhibited a strong recency effect (eta(2) =.66).

Geophysical variables and behavior: XCI. Ambulatory behavior in rats following prenatal exposures to complex magnetic fields designed to interact with genetic expression

A total of 45 litters were exposed during their entire prenatal development to one of two complex patterns of magnetic fields whose strengths varied within one of four intensity ranges between 10 nT and 1,000 nT or to sham-field conditions. The litters exposed to the most complex pattern, composed of 50 200-msec. presentations of different pulses for 10 sec. every 50 sec., displayed more ambulation in an open field at 21 days of age than the litters that had been exposed continuously to a repetitive frequency-modulated field or to sham-field conditions. This treatment explained 25% of the variance in the numbers of squares traversed. The results suggest that complexity of the applied magnetic field during prenatal development may be more important than intensity for permanently affecting neuronal organization and behavior.

Exposure to a theta-burst patterned magnetic field impairs memory acquisition and consolidation for contextual but not discrete conditioned fear in rats

Preceding or immediately following fear-conditioning rats were exposed for 30 min to either a sham field, one of two symmetrical (sine-wave 7, 20 Hz) magnetic fields or to one of two complex magnetic fields whose waveforms were modeled after salient electrophysiological patterns within either the hippocampal formation (theta-burst) or the amygdaloid complex (burst-firing). The magnetic fields were presented in successive 2s intervals through each of the three spatial planes and then simultaneously within all three planes. Field strengths ranged between 0.5 and 1 microTesla. Only the group exposed after the conditioning to the theta-burst (hippocampal) magnetic fields displayed evidence of forgetting, as inferred by their marked attenuation of freezing behavior, during contextual extinction 24h later. This powerful treatment explained 75% of the variance in the extinction scores. Behavioral responses to the discrete conditioned stimulus were not affected. These findings are consistent with the involvement of the hippocampus in learned fear to contextual stimuli but not to discrete auditory stimuli and suggest that physiologically relevant stimuli may be delivered to the brain by weak, complex magnetic fields whose intensities are ubiquitous within modern environments.

Experimental simulation of a haunt experience and elicitation of paroxysmal electroencephalographic activity by transcerebral complex magnetic fields: induction of a synthetic "ghost"?

To test the hypothesis that experiences of apparitional phenomena with accompanying fear can be simulated within the laboratory, a 45-yr.-old journalist and professional musician who had experienced a classic haunt four years previously was exposed to 1 microTesla, complex, transcerebral magnetic fields. Within 10 min. after exposure to a frequency-modulated pattern applied over the right hemisphere, the man reported "rushes of fear" that culminated in the experience of an apparition. Concurrent electroencephalographic measurements showed conspicuous 1-sec.-to-2-sec. paroxysmal complex spikes (15 Hz) that accompanied the reports of fear. A second magnetic field pattern, applied bilaterally through the brain, was associated with pleasant experiences. The subject concluded that the synthetic experience of the apparition was very similar to the one experienced in the natural setting. The results of this experiment suggest that controlled simulation of these pervasive phenomena within the laboratory is possible and that this experimental protocol may help discern the physical stimuli that evoke their occurrence in nature.

Increased emergence of alpha activity over the left but not the right temporal lobe within a dark acoustic chamber: differential response of the left but not the right hemisphere to transcerebral magnetic fields

The percentages of alpha activity per minute over the left and right temporal lobes were measured for the first and second successive 15-min intervals while subjects wore opaque goggles within an acoustic chamber. A weak (5 microT), burst-firing magnetic field was presented during this period for 1 s every 4 s primarily over the left or the right cerebral hemisphere. The results indicated that the left temporal lobe became less vigilant between the first and second 15 min while the right temporal lobe did not. When standardized scores for each subject's measures over time and across hemispheres were employed, increased alpha time over the left temporal lobe relative to the right temporal lobe was observed only when the transcerebral magnetic field was applied over the left hemisphere. Stimulation of the right hemisphere did not evoke this discrepancy. The detection of the effects of this specific complex magnetic field upon electroencephalographic activity may be more probable when the subjects are exposed to partial sensory deprivation.

Facilitation of seizures in limbic epileptic rats by complex 1 microTesla magnetic fields

On three separate sessions 24 male rats with histories of limbic epilepsy were exposed to 10 temporal configurations for 5 min. each of one of two patterns of magnetic fields. Their intensities averaged about 1 microTesla (microT). The numbers of Level 5 (Racine) seizures, inferred by the rat's rearing, rapid forelimb clonus, and falling, were statistically more frequent for the frequency-modulated (Thomas) pattern when its pixel duration and interstimulus presentation were 3 msec. The effectiveness of this temporal configuration was replicated in a second within-subjects experiment (n = 9) that directly compared the numbers of seizures during exposures to each of the two patterns and to a sham-field. These results suggest that brains with sensitive limbic systems might respond to weak magnetic fields, generated from multiple overlapping fields from communication and computer systems whose temporal derivatives emerge as complex sequences with pixel durations within the millisecond range.

Experimental induction of intermale aggressive behavior in limbic epileptic rats by weak, complex magnetic fields: implications for geomagnetic activity and the modern habitat?

In three separate experiments, groups (4/group) of male rats with limbic epilepsy were exposed for 80 min every 24 hr during the midscotophase for 24 successive days to sham-field conditions or to one of four complex patterns of magnetic fields whose average intensities ranged between 20 nT to 500 nT. The numbers of episodes of boxing, biting, mounting, eating, drinking and grooming were then recorded each night during the latter 20 min. Moderately strong statistically significant interactions occurred between the presence or absence of the field and the pattern of the field explained 25% and 50% of the variance in the numbers of biting and boxing responses, respectively. Other behaviors were not affected. The results suggest that group aggression can be increased or decreased as a function of the temporal characteristics and morphology (shape) of the applied magnetic field.

Control of "choice" by application of the electromagnetic field equivalents of spoken words: mediation by emotional meaning rather than linguistic dimensions?

Electromagnetic equivalents (about 1 microT) of the acoustic signature of spoken words were applied across the temporoparietal lobes by an array of external solenoids. Participants were asked to select the target word within a group of words. The experimental group of 7 chose the target word or words that shared its emotional dimensions (activation, evaluation) more frequently than did the reference group of 6 who received no electromagnetic equivalents. Implications for the neurocognitive detection of the emotional (connotative) components of word stimuli when transformed to electromagnetic equivalents rather than direct images or "word sounds" are discussed.

Differential entrainment of electroencephalographic activity by weak complex electromagnetic fields

The hypothesis was tested that compensatory susceptibility to electroencephalographic driving and entrainment by weak (1 microT) time-varying, externally applied complex magnetic fields would occur in normal subjects following successive stimulation by different patterns. 43% of the volunteers showed evidence of driving during the application of the complex magnetic fields and indications of resonance (entrainment) during the first 10 sec. following the cessation of the fields. The volunteers who exhibited driving and entrainment could be discriminated from those who did not by their more frequent reported experiences of fear and odd tastes during the stimulation. They were also more likely to have a preexposure history of a sense of presence and to experience intense meaningfulness when reading or writing prose or poetry.

Experimental simulation of the effects of increased geomagnetic activity upon nocturnal seizures in epileptic rats

This experiment was designed to simulate experimentally the specific parameters of geomagnetic activity that evoke epileptic seizures. The numbers of overt limbic seizures (rearing, paroxysmal forelimb clonus and falling) in a population of epileptic rats were recorded nightly for 65 successive days between 0200 and 0400 h during red light conditions. On some nights an experimental 7 Hz magnetic field whose magnitudes shifted in successive steps from zero to approximately 50 nT every 3 min was presented. The partial regression coefficients from the analysis indicated that either the presence of the 'synthetic' geomagnetic activity or increased magnitudes of the daily, natural geomagnetic activity (regional range approximately 10-70 nT) during the observational period significantly (P < 0.05) increased the proportion of nightly seizures. The effect sizes (6-8%) for both magnetic sources were comparable and additive. Concerted efforts to experimentally simulate the temporal profiles of geomagnetic activity may help reveal the neuromechanisms by which biobehavioral changes during geomagnetic perturbations occur within susceptible populations.

Feelings of past lives as expected perturbations within the neurocognitive processes that generate the sense of self: contributions from limbic lability and vectorial hemisphericity

Normal, young men and women who believed they may have lived a previous life (n = 21) or who did not endorse (n = 52) this belief of "reincarnation" were exposed to partial sensory deprivation and received transcerebral stimulation by burst-firing magnetic fields over either the left or right hemisphere. Individuals who reported belief in reincarnation could be discriminated from nonbelievers by their more frequent report of experiences of tingling sensations, spinning, detachment of consciousness from the body, and intrusions of thoughts that were not attributed to the sense of self. The results support the hypothesis that there may be neurocognitive processes which identify experiences as originating from the sense of self (episodic or autobiographical memory) or "not self." When anomalous experiences are beyond the boundary of the experiences contained with the generalization gradient of concurrent autobiographical memory, they are more likely to be attributed to culturally available default explanations such as living a previous life.

Enhanced hypnotic suggestibility following application of burst-firing magnetic fields over the right temporoparietal lobes: a replication

The suggestibility of normal, young men and women as assessed by Spiegel's Hypnosis Induction Profile (HIP) before and after weak (1 micro Tesla), burst-firing magnetic fields were applied for 20 min over the left or over the right temporoparietal lobe or both hemispheres; a fourth group received sham treatment. Only the group that received the stimulation over the right hemisphere exhibited a marked increase in suggestibility (eta = 0.58) following the treatment. These results replicate components of several different previous experiments and suggest that attribution of symptomatic changes following exposures to weak, extremely low frequency magnetic fields, to placebo effects may not be correct. Instead, fields whose signatures contain biorelevant information may directly affect the neurocognitive processes that are associated with hypnotizability.

Weak, but complex pulsed magnetic fields may reduce depression following traumatic brain injury

Many patients who display psychological depression following a traumatic brain injury do not respond completely to antidepressant drugs. We hypothesized that this type of depression is strongly correlated with subclinical, complex partial seizure-activity within the hippocampal-amygdaloid region that continues for months to years after apparent neurological and behavioral "recovery." Four depressed patients who had sustained traumatic brain injuries and who exhibited mild to moderate brain impairment according to standardized tests received 30 min. of weak (1 microT) burst-firing magnetic fields across the temporal lobes once per week for 5 weeks. There was a significant improvement of depression and reduction of phobias while physical symptoms and other complaints were not changed.

Long-term consequences of subtle stimuli during the first twenty-four hours of seizure-induced brain injury

Chronically epileptic (induced by a single systemic injection of lithium and pilocarpine about 30 days before the experiment began) male rats were trained within a radial maze while they were administered either GABA-pentin (Neurontin), or prednisolone or given no treatment. There was no significant improvement in learning or memory between the groups. Numbers of trials per day were positively correlated with the time required to display the overt stereotyped forelimb clonus after the single pilocarpine injection. The numbers of correct trials completed during the first few days of acquisition were significantly greater for the rats that had receive weak (1 microT) complex, pulsed magnetic fields over the right hemisphere during the first 24 hr. after seizure induction than for those who received the same field over the left hemisphere or that had been exposed to reference conditions. Implications of the enhanced sensitivity of limbic neurons to subtle electromagnetic interaction during electrical lability are discussed.

Enhancement of limbic seizures by nocturnal application of experimental magnetic fields that simulate the magnitude and morphology of increases in geomagnetic activity

Over a 200 day period, chronic (limbic) epileptic rats were exposed intermittently, for either one or three nights (00 to 08 hr), once very approximately 10 days to experimental magnetic fields whose morphology (incremental changes in intensity over time) simulated geomagnetic activity. One of two intensities and two ripple frequencies (7 Hz, 45 Hz) was employed. The display of over seizures following synchronized food presentation significantly increased by a factor 3.1 relative to controls when the fields had been activated for one or two but not three successive nights. The combined effects of the experimental field and ambient geomagnetic activity (> 40 nT) explained approximately 12 to 15% of the variance in the daily incidence of seizures. Implications for the transient disinhibition of electrical lability within the limbic system following suppression of nocturnal melatonin are discussed.

Repeated verbal interruptions during exposure to complex transcerebral magnetic fields elicit irritability: implications for opiate effects

Men (n = 17) and women (n = 18) listened to a brief narrative and then were exposed for 30 min. to a control condition or to a weak (1 microTesla) complex magnetic field applied over the left hemisphere, the right hemisphere, or bilaterally. The subjects were interrupted intermittently to report their thoughts during this period. Because the wave structure of the field had been shown to elevate nociceptive thresholds and to simulate the effects of morphine in rats, we predicted that the group who received the bilateral stimulation should report greater irritability because of their disrupted pleasant experiences. The results supported this hypothesis.

Vestibular experiences of humans during brief periods of partial sensory deprivation are enhanced when daily geomagnetic activity exceeds 15-20 nT

The intensity of reported vestibular experiences by normal volunteers (n = 127, over a 4-year period) increased significantly in a step-like manner during partial sensory deprivation when the daily geomagnetic activity exceeded about 15 nT; the effect size was equivalent to a correlation of about 0.33. Post hoc analyses indicated that the geomagnetic activity during the 3-h period at the beginning of the previous sleep cycle was the single greatest contributor. The enhanced occurrences of experiences that are similar to those associated with complex partial epileptic seizures suggests that specific stimuli associated with geomagnetic activity above about 15 nT affects specific regions of the human brain; the vulnerability occurs during the subsequent 24 h. However, in non-epileptic individuals these experiences must be amplified neurocognitively by removing input from auditory and visual modalities.

On the possibility of directly accessing every human brain by electromagnetic induction of fundamental algorithms

Contemporary neuroscience suggests the existence of fundamental algorithms by which all sensory transduction is translated into an intrinsic, brain-specific code. Direct stimulation of these codes within the human temporal or limbic cortices by applied electromagnetic patterns may require energy levels which are within the range of both geomagnetic activity and contemporary communication networks. A process which is coupled to the narrow band of brain temperature could allow all normal human brains to be affected by a subharmonic whose frequency range at about 10 Hz would only vary by 0.1 Hz.

Out-of-body-like experiences are more probable in people with elevated complex partial epileptic-like signs during periods of enhanced geomagnetic activity: a nonlinear effect

The ratings of subjective experiences of the self "leaving" or of being detached from the body were obtained (over a 3-yr. period) for a total of 128 men and women who had been exposed only once to an experimental setting which enhances the awareness of cognitive processes. As hypothesized, the individuals who exhibited the greatest proportion of complex partial epileptic-like signs also reported the most intense experiences of detachment from the body; however, these occurred primarily when the geomagnetic activity on the day of the experiment exceeded about 15 nT but was less than about 45 nT. Geomagnetic activity for the day after or the three days before the experiment was not associated with these experiences. The effect was equivalent to a correlation coefficient (eta) of .38.

Elevated incidence of a sensed presence and sexual arousal during partial sensory deprivation and sensitivity to hypnosis: implications for hemisphericity and gender differences

As predicted by the vectorial cerebral hemisphericity hypothesis, 24 normal young women reported significantly more experiences of a "presence" than did 24 normal young men within a setting that emphasized hypnosis and partial sensory deprivation. The incidence of these experiences was positively correlated with scores on Spiegel's Hypnosis Induction Profile, while the attribution of the chamber experiences to ego-alien sources was correlated with the magnitude of (Vingiano's) right hemisphericity for the women only. Both sexes exhibited a significant association between the experience of a presence and sexual arousal.

Enhanced hypnotizability by cerebrally applied magnetic fields depends upon the order of hemispheric presentation: an anistropic effect

A significant alteration in the hypnotizability of normal subjects after brief (15 min) exposures to weak (1 microT) pulsed magnetic fields over the temporal lobes was determined by the serial order of hemispheric stimulation. Only subjects who received the right hemispheric stimulation first displayed significantly elevated hypnosis induction profile scores (effect size equivalent to a correlation of 0.41). Implications for a technology that can: a) modify hypnotizability, b) encourage the consolidation of quasiexperiences that are reconstructed as autobiographical memory, and c) change the sense of self, are discussed.

Differential ratings of pleasantness following right and left hemispheric application of low energy magnetic fields that stimulate long-term potentiation

A total of 40 normal men and women were exposed under double blind conditions for 20 min to either sham-conditions or to 1 microT (10 mG) electromagnetic fields (known to produce long-term potentiation within hippocampal slices) that were applied primarily over the right temporal lobe, over the left temporal lobe or over both temporal lobes homogeneously. The men and women who received the stimulation over the right hemisphere rated their experiences as significantly more pleasant than those who received the same stimulation over the left hemisphere [eta = 0.51]. Covariance for the variation in ambient geomagnetic activity, which was negatively correlated with pleasantness, increased the significance of the experimental treatment. The potential clinical utility of applying computer-generated local and penetrative but weak intensity complex magnetic fields over portions of the human brain is discussed.

The sensed presence may be facilitated by interhemispheric intercalation: relative efficacy of the Mind's Eye, Hemi-Sync Tape, and bilateral temporal magnetic field stimulation

After sitting quietly within an acoustic chamber, 30 university men were exposed (singly) to binaural, complex stimulation (Hemi-Sync Tape), synchronized binaural and visual patterns (The Mind's Eye), or transtemporal magnetic fields for 30 min. Experiences were rated at the end of the treatment by questionnaire. The men who received the binaural stimulation (Hemi-Sync Tape) reported more intense sensed presences and ego-alien intrusions than did the other two groups. In a similar second experiment, 18 university women who received the binaural stimulation also reported these experiences. The results support the hypothesis that the sensed presence is facilitated by transient, neuroelectrical intercalation of the temporoparietal lobes and is associated with the intrusion into awareness of the right-hemispheric equivalent of the left-hemispheric sense of self.

Geophysical variables and behavior: LXXVII. Increased geomagnetic activity and decreased pleasantness of spontaneous narratives for percipients but not agents

A total of 48 adults were tested in 24 separate pairs either during the morning (10:00 A.M.) or evening (10:00 P.M.). One member of each pair was instructed to record (write) impressions and descriptions of 8 different art pieces (5 min. each). At the same time the other member of the pair sat in a comfortable chair within an acoustic chamber in another room and wrote an ongoing narrative. The evaluation and activity dimensions of the words that composed the narratives were scored by the Whissell Dictionary of Affect in Language. The increased global geomagnetic activity two days before the experiments was significantly associated (rhos about 0.60) with the use of more unpleasant words for people who sat in the quiet chamber only. Implications for the hypothesis of affective concordance between emotionally bonded human beings and its role in episodes of potentially veridical telepathic experiences are discussed.

Elicitation of "childhood memories" in hypnosis-like settings is associated with complex partial epileptic-like signs for women but not for men: implications for the false memory syndrome

20 male and 20 female undergraduate students were exposed singly for 20 min. to an exotic setting (partial sensory deprivation and weak, bilateral transtemporal pulsed magnetic fields) that enhances relaxation and exotic experiences. The numerical incidence of subjective experiences described as old memories, dreams, emotions, or vestibular sensations did not differ significantly between the sexes; however, women who reported a greater prevalence of preexperimental complex partial epileptic-like signs were more likely to report experiences of "old memories" (r = 0.61) while men who exhibited these signs were more likely to report dream-like (r = 0.49) experiences. Because complex partial epileptic-like signs are positively associated with suggestibility, the potential contribution of this differential gender effect to the etiology of the False Memory Syndrome requires further investigation.