Answers and Questions: Forty Years in Bioelectromagnetics

Bioelectromagnetics · 2021 · Mixed · Insufficient evidence

← Research stream

MixedInsufficient evidencePaper 952

Study snapshot

PublicationBioelectromagnetics · 2021

Study typereview

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingInsufficient

Abstract

Answers and Questions: Forty Years in Bioelectromagnetics Ben Greenebaum. Answers and Questions: Forty Years in Bioelectromagnetics. Bioelectromagnetics. 2021 Dec 2. doi: 10.1002/bem.22381. Abstract The work began in 1972 when three young assistant professors used a slime mold to see if electromagnetic fields would affect it. The fields did, though the effects were small and hard to tease out of the noise. The cell cycle was lengthened and there were changes in respiration. So, the next question was "how and why?" Further changes were seen using these and then other bacterial and eukaryotic cells in respiration, in ATP, in the protein replication chain, and so forth. Changes occurred even in cell extracts that lacked an intact plasma membrane. Nerve cells showed changes in leakage of neurotransmitters and in neurite outgrowth from excised ganglia. Based on some experiments with nerve cells, I also did some computer calculations, modeling the internal electric and magnetic fields and current densities in simplified representations of bone fractures and also of spinal cords in vertebrae. More recently, I have collaborated on some theoretical models of what fields might be doing at the cellular and molecular level, particularly with reference to the radical model. With each piece of research, my collaborators and I generally found a small piece of information about fields and biological systems; and each answer raised another set of questions, which is the way of science. Though bioelectromagnetic scientists have learned much and can say much at greater depth about what happens when an organism is exposed to a field, the fundamental question still remains: What exactly is going on here? pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typereview

Effect directionmixed

PopulationNot supplied

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureNot supplied

Evidence strengthInsufficientConfidence: 66% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Narrative account of research since 1972 describing small, difficult-to-detect bioeffects of electromagnetic fields across various biological preparations (slime mold, bacterial/eukaryotic cells, cell extracts, nerve cells), including changes in cell cycle, respiration, ATP-related measures, neurotransmitter leakage, and neurite outgrowth. The author notes that despite accumulated findings and modeling/theoretical work (including reference to a radical model), the fundamental mechanism remains unresolved.

Outcomes measured

slime mold cell cycle length
respiration changes
ATP changes
protein replication chain changes
effects in cell extracts without intact plasma membrane
nerve cell neurotransmitter leakage
neurite outgrowth from excised ganglia
modeled internal electric/magnetic fields and current densities in bone fracture and spinal cord representations
theoretical cellular/molecular mechanisms (radical model)

Limitations

Narrative/retrospective perspective without specific exposure parameters (frequency, intensity, duration) reported in the abstract
No quantitative synthesis or systematic methods described
Multiple experimental systems and outcomes summarized without detailed methods or effect sizes

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "review",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": null,
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "slime mold cell cycle length",
    "respiration changes",
    "ATP changes",
    "protein replication chain changes",
    "effects in cell extracts without intact plasma membrane",
    "nerve cell neurotransmitter leakage",
    "neurite outgrowth from excised ganglia",
    "modeled internal electric/magnetic fields and current densities in bone fracture and spinal cord representations",
    "theoretical cellular/molecular mechanisms (radical model)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Narrative account of research since 1972 describing small, difficult-to-detect bioeffects of electromagnetic fields across various biological preparations (slime mold, bacterial/eukaryotic cells, cell extracts, nerve cells), including changes in cell cycle, respiration, ATP-related measures, neurotransmitter leakage, and neurite outgrowth. The author notes that despite accumulated findings and modeling/theoretical work (including reference to a radical model), the fundamental mechanism remains unresolved.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Narrative/retrospective perspective without specific exposure parameters (frequency, intensity, duration) reported in the abstract",
    "No quantitative synthesis or systematic methods described",
    "Multiple experimental systems and outcomes summarized without detailed methods or effect sizes"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "insufficient",
  "confidence": 0.66,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "bioelectromagnetics",
    "electromagnetic fields",
    "cell cycle",
    "respiration",
    "ATP",
    "protein replication",
    "nerve cells",
    "neurotransmitters",
    "neurite outgrowth",
    "modeling",
    "radical model"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

AI can be wrong. Always verify against the paper.

AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1002/bem.22381
PubMed: 34859455

Read the original paper →

Related papers

← Back to the Research Library