Effect of Modulated Microwave Radiation on Brain Electrical Oscillations

Abstract

The aim of this study was evaluation of the effect of modulated microwave exposure on human electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythms. The experiments were carried out on four different groups of healthy volunteers. The 450 MHz microwave radiation modulated at 7 Hz (first group, 19 subjects), 14 and 21 Hz (second group, 13 subjects), 40 and 70 Hz (third group, 15 subjects), 217 and 1000 Hz (fourth group, 19 subjects) frequencies was applied. The field power density at the scalp was 0.16 mW/cm2. The calculated spatial peak SAR averaged over 1 g was 0.303 W/kg. Ten cycles of the exposure (1 min off and 1 min on) at fixed modulation frequencies were applied. Our results showed that microwave exposure increased the EEG energy at EEG frequencies lower or close to the modulation frequency. No effect was detected at EEG frequency bands higher than the modulation frequency. Statistically significant changes were caused by exposure in the EEG alpha and beta frequency bands; no significant effect was detected in the theta band. Rate of subjects with significant changes in the EEG was 16-33% in different groups.