The Use of Induction Sensors and Helmet-Based Shielding Technology to Identify Differences in Electromagnetic Fields in Patients With Cranial Neurological Disease Versus Healthy Controls.

Cureus · 2023 · Mixed · Very low evidence

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MixedVery low evidencePaper 5769

Study snapshot

PublicationCureus · 2023

Study typecross_sectional

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingVery low

Abstract

Background and objective Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) stemming from neural circuits have been evaluated in healthy human subjects by using non-invasive induction sensor technologies with adjunctive shielding constrained to a helmet constructed of Mu-metal and copper mesh. These EMF measurements have been analyzed and discerned to alter physiological states of movement, thoughts of movement, emotional thoughts, and planned activities. However, these technologies have not yet been investigated as a diagnostic tool in patients with cranial neurological pathology to evaluate differences in patterns in the pathologic state compared to healthy controls. In light of this, we conducted this study to address this scarcity of data. Methods An observational study was conducted in which patients at a single center with cranial neurological disease of all causes were eligible to enroll; they had real-time non-invasive continuous EMF measurements obtained using induction sensors and a shielded helmet. These measurements were obtained in the resting state and then compared to previously obtained measurements in healthy volunteers. Post-processing analysis was conducted to evaluate the derivatives of these EMFs to identify changes in patterns. Results Fourteen patients with traumatic injury, stroke, and neoplasm with ages ranging from 14 to 81 years underwent successful analysis and post-processing of their cortically generated EMF waves. Patterns of EMF waves were compared to previously obtained data from four healthy controls. It was identified that there was less variation in the EMF measurements in patients with neurological disease compared to healthy controls. This was identified based on differences in derivatives of the EMF waves and decreased numbers of peaks and valleys in the EMF waves. Conclusions Novel induction sensors with an engineered, layered Mu-metal and copper mesh helmet for shielding with Mu-metal EMF channels appear to be efficient in measuring neural circuit-driven EMF non-invasively, in real-time, and continuously and can discern differences in EMF patterns between healthy volunteers and patients with neural circuit pathology. The decreased variability in EMF measurements in patients with neural pathology and greater decreases in slope within low-frequency measurements may be correlated with disrupted neural signaling from dysfunctional neurons and abnormalities in spatial and temporal summation. Some EMF changes in ill individuals correspond to changes in the experimentally induced lesions in the animal model. Further studies are warranted to devise models of disease and healthy states to improve these technologies as a diagnostic modality.

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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 typecross_sectional

Effect directionmixed

PopulationPatients with cranial neurological disease (traumatic injury, stroke, neoplasm) and healthy controls

Sample size18

Exposurereal-time continuous measurements in resting state

Evidence strengthVery lowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Fourteen patients with cranial neurological disease had non-invasive EMF measurements that showed less variation than previously obtained measurements from four healthy controls, including decreased numbers of peaks and valleys and differences in derivatives of the EMF waves. The authors report greater decreases in slope within low-frequency measurements in patients with neural pathology.

Outcomes measured

Patterns/variability of cortically generated EMF waves
Derivatives of EMF waves
Number of peaks and valleys in EMF waves
Slope changes within low-frequency measurements

Limitations

Single-center observational study
Small sample size (14 patients; 4 healthy controls)
Healthy control data were previously obtained rather than measured concurrently
Heterogeneous patient etiologies (traumatic injury, stroke, neoplasm)

View raw extracted JSON

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  "study_type": "cross_sectional",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "endogenous neural circuit EMFs measured with induction sensors and shielded helmet (Mu-metal and copper mesh)",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "real-time continuous measurements in resting state"
  },
  "population": "Patients with cranial neurological disease (traumatic injury, stroke, neoplasm) and healthy controls",
  "sample_size": 18,
  "outcomes": [
    "Patterns/variability of cortically generated EMF waves",
    "Derivatives of EMF waves",
    "Number of peaks and valleys in EMF waves",
    "Slope changes within low-frequency measurements"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Fourteen patients with cranial neurological disease had non-invasive EMF measurements that showed less variation than previously obtained measurements from four healthy controls, including decreased numbers of peaks and valleys and differences in derivatives of the EMF waves. The authors report greater decreases in slope within low-frequency measurements in patients with neural pathology.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Single-center observational study",
    "Small sample size (14 patients; 4 healthy controls)",
    "Healthy control data were previously obtained rather than measured concurrently",
    "Heterogeneous patient etiologies (traumatic injury, stroke, neoplasm)"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "very_low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "electromagnetic fields",
    "induction sensors",
    "Mu-metal",
    "copper mesh",
    "shielding helmet",
    "neurological disease",
    "stroke",
    "traumatic brain injury",
    "neoplasm",
    "diagnostic modality"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "engineering",
      "weight": 0.78,
      "reason": "Uses induction sensors and a Mu-metal/copper mesh shielded helmet to measure neural EMFs."
    },
    {
      "slug": "clinical-neurology",
      "weight": 0.72,
      "reason": "Compares EMF measurement patterns in patients with cranial neurological disease versus healthy controls."
    }
  ]
}

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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: 10.7759/cureus.45361
PubMed: 37849590

Read the original paper →

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