Abstract
Background: International agencies such as the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety (ICES) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) need further data to set international guidelines to protect workers and the public from potential adverse effects to Extremely Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields (ELF-MF). Interestingly, electromagnetic induction has been hypothesized to impact human vestibular function (i.e. through induced electric fields). To date, a theoretical 4 T/s vestibular threshold was proposed to modulate postural control, but data is lacking above this limit. Objectives: This research aimed to investigate the impact of full head homogeneous ELF-MF stimulations above the 4 T/s threshold on human postural control. Methods: Postural control of twenty healthy participants was analyzed while full head homogeneous ELF-MF stimulations (20 Hz, 60 Hz, and 90 Hz) up to 40 T/s were applied. Velocity, main direction and spatial dispersion of sway were used to investigate postural modulations. Results: Despite a conclusive positive control effect, no significant effects of ELF-MF exposures on velocity, spatial dispersion, and direction of the postural sway were found for our 3 frequency conditions. Conclusions: The homogeneous full head MF stimulations oriented vertically and delivered at high frequencies induced E-fields having a weaker impact than anticipated, possibly because they impacted only a small portion of the vestibular system. This resulted in an absence of effect on postural control outcomes.
Highlights
Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields (ELF-MFs < 300 Hz) at powerline frequencies (i.e 60 Hz in North America) are ubiquitous in modern societies due to the generation, distribution and use of alternating current (AC)
Given the very important neurophysiological similarities between the retinal and the vestibular sensory cells and the fact that electromagnetic induction produces magnetophosphenes, this study aimed to investigate the impact of full head 50 mT homogeneous Extremely Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields (ELF-MF) stimulations at 20 Hz, 60 Hz and 90 Hz on human postural control in which the vestibular system plays a major role
Our study suggests that before a formal investigation of the level for an acute postural response to ELF-MF, further research should address the difficulty of targeting the vestibular system
Summary
Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields (ELF-MFs < 300 Hz) at powerline frequencies (i.e 60 Hz in North America) are ubiquitous in modern societies due to the generation, distribution and use of alternating current (AC). The ICNIRP and the IEEEICES report synaptic activity alterations thresholds based on Saunders and Jefferys [4] and Lövsund et al [5] magnetophosphenes studies International agencies such as the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the International Committee on Electromagnetic Safety (ICES) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) need further data to set international guidelines to protect workers and the public from potential adverse effects to Extremely Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields (ELF-MF). Conclusions: The homogeneous full head MF stimulations oriented vertically and delivered at high frequencies induced E-fields having a weaker impact than anticipated, possibly because they impacted only a small portion of the vestibular system This resulted in an absence of effect on postural control outcomes
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