Origins of electromagnetic hypersensitivity to 60 Hz magnetic fields: A provocation study. 2012

Deok Won Kim, and Jae Lim Choi, and Ki Chang Nam, and Dong In Yang, and Min Kyung Kwon
Department of Medical Engineering, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea; Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. kdw@yuhs.ac.

With increasing electrical device usage, social concerns about the possible effects of 60 Hz electromagnetic fields on human health have increased. The number of people with self-attributed electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) who complain of various subjective symptoms such as headache and insomnia has also increased. However, it is unclear whether EHS results from physiological or other origins. In this double-blinded study, we simultaneously investigated physiological changes (heart rate, respiration rate, and heart rate variability), subjective symptoms, and perception of the magnetic field to assess origins of the subjective symptoms. Two volunteer groups of 15 self-reported EHS and 16 non-EHS individuals were tested with exposure to sham and real (60 Hz, 12.5 µT) magnetic fields for 30 min. Magnetic field exposure did not have any effects on physiological parameters or eight subjective symptoms in either group. There was also no evidence that the EHS group perceived the magnetic field better than the non-EHS group. In conclusion, the subjective symptoms did not result from the 60 Hz, 12.5 µT magnetic field exposures but from other non-physiological factors.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D010465 Perception The process by which the nature and meaning of sensory stimuli are recognized and interpreted. Sensory Processing,Processing, Sensory
D012119 Respiration The act of breathing with the LUNGS, consisting of INHALATION, or the taking into the lungs of the ambient air, and of EXHALATION, or the expelling of the modified air which contains more CARBON DIOXIDE than the air taken in (Blakiston's Gould Medical Dictionary, 4th ed.). This does not include tissue respiration ( Breathing
D004574 Electromagnetic Fields Fields representing the joint interplay of electric and magnetic forces. Electromagnetic Field,Field, Electromagnetic,Fields, Electromagnetic
D005260 Female Females
D006339 Heart Rate The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute. Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults

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