Investigation of the Effects of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on the Regulatıon of the Autonomic Nervous System and Emotional State
Project no. 52 · Status: Kapanmış · 2016
Summary
The effect of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on human has been the subject of many studies for the quarter-century. Despite the number of studies investigating the influence of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) on the cardiovascular and central nerve system, the findings failed to provide consistent evidence for a consensus on whether ELF-EMF may be a factor affecting the cardiovascular system and central nerve system. Hence, in the present study, we aimed to explore the short-term effect of ELF-EMF exposure to the human chest and head regions on the autonomous nervous system. With these purposes, 17 healthy male participants were exposed to 50 Hz, 30 µT (RMS: 28 µT) ELF-EMF from the chest region at the first session and the while their Electrodermal activity (EDA), heart rates (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV) measured. In the second session, 21 healthy male participants were exposed 50 Hz, 30 µT (RMS: 28 µT) ELF-EMF from the head region for 5 minutes while their GSR, HR, and HRV measured. Participants GSR, HR, and HRV were also measured before and after the ELF-EMF exposure. Results indicated no significant effect of ELF-EMF applied to the head region on EDA (p>0.05). On the contrary, ELF-EMF applied to the head decreased HR significantly (p<0.05). ELF-EMF applied to the head increased HRV time-domain parameters of NNmean, SDNN, and RMSSD (p<0.05). However, ELF-EMF applied to the head did not make a significant influence on HRV frequency-domain parameters of low -frequency (LF) power and high-frequency (HF) power. ELF-EMF applied to the chest region did not affect participants’ EDAs. On the contrary, ELF-EMF applied to the chest region decreased HR significantly (p<0.05). On the other hand, ELF-EMF applied to the chest region gave rise to a significant increase in both HRV time-domain parameters (NNmean, SDNN, and RMSSD) and HRV frequency-domain parameters (LF and HF). Data also suggested that both HRV time and frequency parameters were able to regress to the baseline levels. The present study provided preliminary evidence for the argument that the effect of ELF-EMF may depend on the anatomic localization of the interacting biological tissue. Further, it seems that ELF-EMF applied to the heart region may have a more significant effect on the autonomous nervous system than the ELF-EMF applied to the head region.