LOW-LEVEL EMFS ARE TRANSDUCED LIKE OTHER STIMULI

The aims of this study were to test the theory that transduction of lo w-level electromagnetic fields (EMFs) is mediated like other stimuli, and to determine the false-negative rate of the method used to assess the occurrence of transduction (intra-subject comparison of stimulus a nd non-stimulus states (ICOS)). A light stimulus was chosen as a basis of comparison because light could be applied and removed at precise t ime points, similar to the manner in which EMFs were controlled. Subje cts exposed to a weak light stimulus during 2-second epochs exhibited alterations in brain electrical activity that were similar to those pr eviously observed in subjects exposed to EMFs. The false-negative rate of the ICOS method was 61%, since it registered an effect in only 39% of the subjects (11/28) whereas all subjects were actually aware of t he light. In a second group of subjects that were exposed to 0.8 G (1. 5 or 10 Hz), 58% (11/19) exhibited similar alterations in brain activi ty, as determined using ICOS. Previous measurements in the same subjec ts using a different method showed that the EMFs actually affected bra in electrical activity in all subjects; consequently, the false-negati ve rate was 42% when an EMF was used as the stimulus. The results sugg ested that the post-transduction brain electrical processes in human s ubjects were similar in the cases of EMF and light stimuli, as hypothe sized, and that the high negative rate of the ICOS method (here and in previous studies) was composed partly or entirely of false-negative r esults.