Effects of pulse-modulated microwave radiation from mobile phones on the sleep/waking EEG and psychomotor vigilance.
Year: 2008
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This study employed multiple .assessments, including sleep/resting waking EEG\n(visual scoring and power spectral analysis) and psychomotor vigilance task, to\naccess effects of varying pulse-modulated microwaves (such as: 'talk', 'listen' and\n'standby' mode signals) emitted from a standard mobile phone. The idea was\nprompted by a finding that the pulse modulation frequencies of mobile phone signals\ncorrespond to the frequencies of brain delta and alpha waves. Thereby it is possible\nthe brain is able to recognize and respond to the low-frequency components of the\nmobile phone signals. Supporting evidence comes from repetitively reported EEG\nalpha and spindle effects of the 2, 8 and 217-Hz pulsed microwave exposure.\nFurthermore, brain imaging (EEG and PET) stUdies reveal 'Iow-frequency pulsemodulated\nwaves' rather than the 'microwave frequency carrier waves' is the sine qua\nnon for inducing these brain physiological effects [Huber et al., 2002, 2005; Regel et\naI., 2007a]. On the other hand, recent converging evidence, from molecular,\nbehavioural and electrophysiological level, have shown that brain plasticity is a\ncontinuous process from waking to sleep and, sleep, a well-defined physiological\ncondition, is 'shaped' by the waking experiences. The latter findings suggest certain\nsleep EEG features may characterize levels of cortical plasticity during wakefulness.\nThe work presented in this thesis was inspired by these studies and aimed to\nunderstand how the real mobile phone Signals with different low-frequency pulsing\ncomponents [such as 'talk' (8, 217 Hz pulsed), 'listen' (2, 8, 217 Hz pulsed) and\n'stand by' mode « 2 Hz pulsed)] change human brain electrical activities from waking\nto sleep. We approached this question based on EEG analysis in two domains: (1)\nEEG visual scoring; (2) EEG spectral analysis from relaxed waking to the deeper\nstages of non-NREM sleep. We also looked at the effects on the psychomotor\nvigilance performance. Results suggest 'talk' and 'Iisten/standby' modes have inverse\neffects on the distinctive thalamo-cortical oscillation modes and may thus impart\ninverse effects on their sleep structures. The implications of this study are of practical\nimportance as it suggests the thalamo-cortical oscillations can be modulated by\nsynchronizing rTMS/tDCS/DBS and sleeplwaking EEG. This concept may be applied\nto modulate the brain oscillation modes for enhancing sleep-dependent brain plastiCity\nor information processing.
Author: Ching‐Sui Hung
Language: English
Subfield: Biophysics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W796993772