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Blast-induced electromagnetic fields in the brain from bone piezoelectricity
Ka Yan Karen Lee1, Michelle K Nyein, David F Moore
1Department of Electrical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. kylkaren@mit.edu
Neuroimage
|June 16, 2010
Summary
Bone piezoelectricity generates strong electric fields in the brain during blasts, potentially causing neurological effects. These fields exceed safety limits and could be used for diagnostic tools.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Neuroscience
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Bone piezoelectricity is the electrical polarization of bone under mechanical stress.
- Blast waves can induce significant mechanical stress on the human skull.
- Understanding induced electric fields in the brain is crucial for assessing blast injury.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate bone piezoelectricity as a source of blast-induced electric fields in the brain.
- To quantify the magnitude and timescale of these fields.
- To compare these fields with established safety guidelines and neurological effect thresholds.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a finite-element full-head model simulation.
- Calculated induced charge density in the skull from blast wave stress data.
- Estimated resulting electric fields in the brain for both unhelmeted and helmeted (Kevlar) conditions.
Main Results:
- Blast-induced electric fields in the brain are estimated to be around 10 V/m in millisecond pulses.
- These fields are over 10 times stronger than IEEE safety guidelines.
- The fields are comparable to those used in repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for neurological effects.
Conclusions:
- Bone piezoelectricity is a significant contributor to intense electric fields in the brain following blast exposure.
- These fields pose a potential risk for neurological effects and exceed current safety standards.
- The measurable nature of these fields may enable the development of diagnostic tools for blast exposure assessment.
