Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS, microwave syndrome) - Review of mechanisms

2020 · Harm · Insufficient evidence

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HarmInsufficient evidencePaper 1540

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2020

Study typereview

Reported directionHarm

Evidence ratingInsufficient

Abstract

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS, microwave syndrome) - Review of mechanisms Stein Y, Udassin IG. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS, microwave syndrome) - Review of mechanisms. Environmental Research. vol. 186. Available online 30 March 2020, 109445. doi.org Abstract Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), known in the past as "Microwave syndrome", is a clinical syndrome characterized by the presence of a wide spectrum of non-specific multiple organ symptoms, typically including central nervous system symptoms, that occur following the patient's acute or chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields in the environment or in occupational settings. Numerous studies have shown biological effects at the cellular level of electromagnetic fields (EMF) at magnetic (ELF) and radio-frequency (RF) frequencies in extremely low intensities. Many of the mechanisms described for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) apply with modification to EHS. Repeated exposures result in sensitization and consequent enhancement of response. Many hypersensitive patients appear to have impaired detoxification systems that become overloaded by excessive oxidative stress. EMF can induce changes in calcium signaling cascades, significant activation of free radical processes and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in living cells as well as altered neurological and cognitive functions and disruption of the blood-brain barrier. Magnetite crystals absorbed from combustion air pollution could have an important role in brain effects of EMF. Autonomic nervous system effects of EMF could also be expressed as symptoms in the cardiovascular system. Other common effects of EMF include effects on skin, microvasculature, immune and hematologic systems. It is concluded that the mechanisms underlying the symptoms of EHS are biologically plausible and that many organic physiologic responses occur following EMF exposure. Patients can have neurologic, neuro-hormonal and neuro-psychiatric symptoms following exposure to EMF as a consequence of neural damage and over-sensitized neural responses. More relevant diagnostic tests for EHS should be developed. Exposure limits should be lowered to safeguard against biologic effects of EMF. Spread of local and global wireless networks should be decreased, and safer wired networks should be used instead of wireless, to protect susceptible members of the public. Public places should be made accessible for electrohypersensitive individuals. Many of the mechanisms described for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) apply with modification to EHS. Repeated exposures result in sensitization and consequent enhancement of response (Overstreet, 2001; Latremoliere and Woolf, 2009; Molot, 2013; Sage, 2015). Many hypersensitive patients appear to have impaired detoxification systems that become overloaded by excessive oxidative stress (Korkina, 2009; De Luca et al., 2014). Patients can have neurologic, neuro-hormonal and neuro-psychiatric symptoms following exposure to EMF as a consequence of neural damage and over-sensitized neural responses (Dwyer and Leeper, 1978; Pall, 2016). EMF can induce changes in calcium signaling cascades (Liboff, 1984; Blackman et al., 1985; Smith et al., 1987; Pall, 2013, 2015), significant activation of free radical processes and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in living cells (Irmak et al., 2002; Zmyslony et al., 2004; Friedman et al., 2007; Blank and Goodman, 2009; De Iuliis et al., 2009; Georgiou, 2010; Avci et al., 2012; Jing et al., 2012; Bilgici et al., 2013; Burlaka et al., 2013) as well as altered neurological and cognitive functions (Frey, 1961; Thomas et al., 1986; Carrubba et al., 2007; Nittby et al., 2009; Xu et al., 2010; Molot, 2013; Yakymenko et al., 2016; Pall, 2016; Kim et al., 2017) and disruption of the blood-brain barrier (Salford et al., 2008; Nittby et al., 2009). Magnetite crystals absorbed from combustion air pollution could have an important role in brain effects of EMF (Maher et al., 2016). Conclusions In the modern world, exposure to electromagnetic radiation has become inescapable. There are many people who develop adverse health effects as a result of exposure to EMF. This review of the literature included numerous self-reported neurologic and neuropsychiatric symptoms which have a temporal relationship to EMF exposures. Further studies suggest that EMF exposure may be associated with changes in cerebral blood flow which correspond to abnormalities on PET scan of the brain. Some of the researchers have even localized the brain abnormalities to the temporal lobe, thought to be the closest site of exposure to cell phones. Because of the widespread use of EMF technology, it is difficult to avoid exposure. sciencedirect.com

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 directionharm

PopulationPatients with electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) / self-reported symptoms; also discusses cellular-level effects

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureELF and RF · acute or chronic

Evidence strengthInsufficientConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

This narrative review argues that mechanisms underlying EHS symptoms are biologically plausible, citing studies reporting cellular-level biological effects of ELF and RF EMF at low intensities (e.g., calcium signaling changes, oxidative stress/ROS, blood-brain barrier disruption) and reports of neurologic/neuropsychiatric symptoms temporally related to EMF exposure. It concludes that exposure limits should be lowered and that wireless network spread should be decreased in favor of wired networks to protect susceptible individuals.

Outcomes measured

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) symptoms (neurologic, neuro-hormonal, neuro-psychiatric; multi-organ non-specific symptoms)
Oxidative stress / reactive oxygen species (ROS)
Calcium signaling changes
Blood-brain barrier disruption
Neurological and cognitive function changes
Autonomic nervous system / cardiovascular symptoms
Skin effects
Microvasculature effects
Immune and hematologic effects
Cerebral blood flow changes; PET scan abnormalities (temporal relationship to EMF exposure)

Limitations

Review article; no primary study methods, inclusion criteria, or risk-of-bias assessment described in the abstract
No quantitative synthesis or effect size estimates reported in the abstract
Population definitions and diagnostic criteria for EHS not specified in the abstract
Exposure characterization (frequencies, intensities, SAR) not provided in the abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "review",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "ELF and RF",
    "source": "environmental or occupational EMF exposure (wireless networks/cell phones mentioned)",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "acute or chronic"
  },
  "population": "Patients with electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) / self-reported symptoms; also discusses cellular-level effects",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) symptoms (neurologic, neuro-hormonal, neuro-psychiatric; multi-organ non-specific symptoms)",
    "Oxidative stress / reactive oxygen species (ROS)",
    "Calcium signaling changes",
    "Blood-brain barrier disruption",
    "Neurological and cognitive function changes",
    "Autonomic nervous system / cardiovascular symptoms",
    "Skin effects",
    "Microvasculature effects",
    "Immune and hematologic effects",
    "Cerebral blood flow changes; PET scan abnormalities (temporal relationship to EMF exposure)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "This narrative review argues that mechanisms underlying EHS symptoms are biologically plausible, citing studies reporting cellular-level biological effects of ELF and RF EMF at low intensities (e.g., calcium signaling changes, oxidative stress/ROS, blood-brain barrier disruption) and reports of neurologic/neuropsychiatric symptoms temporally related to EMF exposure. It concludes that exposure limits should be lowered and that wireless network spread should be decreased in favor of wired networks to protect susceptible individuals.",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [
    "Review article; no primary study methods, inclusion criteria, or risk-of-bias assessment described in the abstract",
    "No quantitative synthesis or effect size estimates reported in the abstract",
    "Population definitions and diagnostic criteria for EHS not specified in the abstract",
    "Exposure characterization (frequencies, intensities, SAR) not provided in the abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "insufficient",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "electromagnetic hypersensitivity",
    "EHS",
    "microwave syndrome",
    "mechanisms",
    "ELF",
    "RF",
    "oxidative stress",
    "reactive oxygen species",
    "calcium signaling",
    "blood-brain barrier",
    "autonomic nervous system",
    "PET scan",
    "cerebral blood flow",
    "wireless networks",
    "exposure limits"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "who-icnirp",
      "weight": 0.55,
      "reason": "Discusses lowering exposure limits and broad public exposure to EMF, relevant to guideline/policy context."
    }
  ]
}

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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: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109445
PubMed: Not supplied

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