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Action Potentials

Action Potentials

Action Potential

Action Potential

Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...

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Mobile-phone pulse triggers evoked potentials.

Simona Carrubba¹, Clifton Frilot, Andrew L Chesson

¹Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932, USA.

Neuroscience Letters

|December 8, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Mobile phones emit low-frequency pulses that trigger brain activity, specifically evoked potentials (EPs). This 217 Hz brain response was detected in 90% of volunteers, suggesting a potential mechanism for reported health concerns.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Bioelectromagnetics
Human physiology

Background:

Growing concerns exist regarding the potential health hazards of mobile-phone electromagnetic fields (EMFs).
A biological mechanism for detecting mobile-phone EMFs is necessary to explain these potential hazards.
Low-frequency pulses from mobile phones (217 Hz) were investigated as a potential trigger for sensory transduction.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether the low-frequency pulses from mobile phones can be detected by the human body.
To determine if these pulses trigger evoked potentials (EPs) in the brain.
To explore the implications of triggered EPs for reported health effects of mobile phone use.

Main Methods:

Electroencephalograms (EEGs) were recorded from 20 healthy volunteers at six standard locations.
A nonlinear method of EEG analysis was employed to detect brain potentials triggered by 217 Hz pulses.
Sham-exposure analyses were conducted to rule out systematic errors.

Main Results:

Evoked potentials (EPs) with the expected latency were detected in 90% of the volunteers.
The detected EPs occurred at the pulse rate of 217 Hz, consistent with mobile phone emissions.
Time-averaging EEG analysis failed to detect these evoked potentials, highlighting the importance of the analytical method.

Conclusions:

Mobile phone pulses at 217 Hz can trigger evoked potentials in the human brain.
This brain response occurs during ordinary mobile phone use.
The chronic induction of these brain activity changes may be relevant to reported health hazards associated with mobile phone usage.