Pulsed electromagnetic fields affect the intracellular
calcium concentrations in human astrocytoma cells.
Pulsed electromagnetic fields promote bone formation around
dental implants inserted into the femur of rabbits.
PEMF data collection and analysis.
Therapeutic effects of alternating current pulsed
electromagnetic fields in multiple sclerosis.
Double-blind study of pulsing magnetic field effects on
multiple sclerosis.
Pulsing magnetic field effects on brain electrical activity
in multiple sclerosis
Treatment with weak electromagnetic fields improves fatigue
associated with multiple sclerosis.
Effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields on rat skin
metabolism.
Pulsed electromagnetic fields affect the
intracellular calcium concentrations in human astrocytoma cells.
Experiments assessed whether long term exposure to 50 Hz pulsed
electromagnetic fields with a peak magnetic field of 3 mT can alter the
dynamics of intracellular calcium in human astrocytoma U-373 MG cells.
Pretreatment of cells with 1.2 &mgr; M substance P significantly
increased the [Ca(2+)](i). The same effect was also observed when
[Ca(2+)](i) was evaluated in the presence of 20 mM caffeine. After
exposure to electromagnetic fields the basal [Ca(2+)](i) levels
increased significantly from 143 +/- 46 nM to 278 +/- 125 nM. The
increase was also evident after caffeine addition, but in cells treated
with substance P and substance P + caffeine we observed a [Ca(2+)](i)
decrease after exposure. When we substituted calcium-free medium for
normal medium immediately before the [Ca(2+)](i) measurements, the
[Ca(2+)](i) was similar to that measured in the presence of Ca(2+). In
this case, after EMFs exposure of cells treated with substance P, the
[Ca(2+)](i), measured without and with addition of caffeine, declined
from 824 +/- 425 to 38 +/- 13 nM and from 1369 +/- 700 to 11 +/- 4 nM,
respectively, indicating that electromagnetic fields act either on
intracellular Ca(2+) stores or on the plasma membrane. Moreover the
electromagnetic fields that affected [Ca(2+)](i) did not cause cell
proliferation or cell death and the proliferation indexes remained
unchanged after exposure.
Pessina G. et.al. Inst. of General Physiology and
Nutritional Science, University of Siena, Italy. Bioelectromagnetics
Pulsed electromagnetic fields promote bone formation
around dental implants inserted into the femur of rabbits.
The present study examined the effect of applying a pulsed
electromagnetic field (PEMF) on bone formation around a rough-surfaced
dental implant. A dental implant was inserted into the femur of Japanese
white rabbits bilaterally. A PEMF with a pulse width of 25 microseconds
and a pulse frequency of 100 Hz was applied. PEMF stimulation was
applied for 4 h or 8 h per day, at a magnetic intensity of 0.2 mT, 0.3
mT or 0.8 mT. The animals were sacrificed 1, 2 or 4 weeks after
implantation. After staining the resin sections with 2% basic fuchsin
and 0.1% methylene blue, newly formed bone around the implant on tissue
sections was evaluated by computer image analysis. The bone contact
ratios of the PEMF-treated femurs were significantly larger than those
of the control groups. Both the bone contact ratio and bone area ratio
of the 0.2 mT- and 0.3 mT-treated femurs were significantly larger than
the respective value of the 0.8 mT-treated femurs (P < 0.001). No
significant difference in bone contact ratio or bone area ratio was
observed whether PEMF was applied for 4 h/day or 8 h/day. Although a
significantly greater amount of bone had formed around the implant of
the 2-week treated femurs than the 1-week treated femurs, no significant
difference was observed between the 2-week and 4-week treated femurs.
These results suggest that PEMF stimulation may be useful for promoting
bone formation around rough-surfaced dental implants. It is important to
select the proper magnetic intensity, duration per day, and length of
treatment.
Matsumoto H. et.al. Dep. of Fixed Prosthodontics,
School of Dentistry, University of Hokkaido, Ishikari-Tobetsu, Japan. J.
of Clin Oral Implants
PEMF data collection and analysis.
Eighty-five patient records were reviewed retrospectively to determine
the status of lumbar spinal fusion in patients who had undergone surgery
of posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) and/or by a posterolateral
(PL) approach, and received postoperative therapy with a noninvasive
device that generated pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF). Sixty-six
patients (77.6%) had risk factors associated with a poor prognosis for
healing, including smoking, prior back surgery, multiple spinal levels
fused, diabetes millitus, and obesity. Roentgenographic and clinical
evidence indicated that all but two patients achieved successful fusion.
The characteristics of these two patients were age 40-55 years, 1 male
and 1 female, both were smokers, 1 primary fusion and 1 revision fusion,
and both patients underwent single-level PLIF using autogenous graft.
After the treatment, seven (8%) patients reported no change in level of
pain, but the remainder (92%) reported that pain decreased by one to
three levels. Of the 83 patients with successful spinal fusion, 29
(34.9%) were assessed as "excellent," 45 (54.2%) as "good," 3 (3.6%) as
"fair," and 6 (7.2%) as "poor." Adjunctive treatment with PEMF appeared
effective in promoting spinal fusion following PLIF or PL procedures
across all patient subgroups.
Richard A. Silver, M.D.
Tucson Orthopaedic & Fracture Surgery Associates, Ltd., Tucson, AZ.
Therapeutic effects of alternating current pulsed
electromagnetic fields in multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis is the third most common cause of severe disability
in patients between the ages of 15 and 50 years. The cause of the
disease and its pathogenesis remain unknown. The last 20 years have seen
only meager advances in the development of effective treatments for the
disease. No specific treatment modality can cure the disease or alter
its long-term course and eventual outcome. Moreover, there are no agents
or treatments that will restore premorbid neuronal function. A host of
biological phenomena associated with the disease involving interactions
among genetic, environmental, immunologic, and hormonal factors, cannot
be explained on the basis of demyelination alone and therefore require
refocusing attention on alternative explanations, one of which
implicates the pineal gland as pivotal. The pineal gland functions as a
magnetoreceptor organ. This biological property of the gland provided
the impetus for the development of a novel and highly effective
therapeutic modality, which involves transcranial applications of
alternating current (AC) pulsed electromagnetic fields flux density.
This review summarizes recent clinical work on the effects of
transcranially applied pulsed electromagnetic fields for the symptomatic
treatment of the disease.
Sandyk R. Dep. of Neuroscience, Institute for
Biomedical Engineering and Rehab Services of Touro College, Dix Hills,
New York.
Double-blind study of pulsing magnetic field effects
on multiple sclerosis.
We performed a double-blind study to measure the clinical and
sub-clinical effects of an alternative medicine electromagnetic device
on disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS). The MS patients were
exposed to a magnetic pulsing device where the frequency of the magnetic
pulse was in the 4-13 Hz range. A total of 30 MS patients wore the
device on pre-selected sites between 10 and 24 hours a day for 2 months.
Half of the patients (15) randomly received a device that was
magnetically inactive and the other half received an active device. Each
MS patient received a set of tests to evaluate MS disease status before
and after wearing the device. The tests included (1) a clinical rating (Kurtzke,
EDSS), (2) patient-reported performance scales, and (3) quantitative
electro-encephalography (QEEG) during a language task. Although there
was no significant change between pretreatment and post-treatment in the
EDSS scale, there was a significant improvement in the performance scale
(PS) combined rating for bladder control, cognitive function, fatigue
level, mobility, spasticity, and vision (active group -3.83 +/- 1.08, p
< 0.005; placebo group -0.17 +/- 1.07, change in PS scale). There was
also a significant change between pre-treatment and post-treatment in
alpha EEG magnitude during the language task recorded at various
electrode sites on the left side. In this double-blind,
placebo-controlled study, we have demonstrated a statistically
significant effect of the magnetic pulsing device on patient
performance scales and on alpha EEG magnitude during a language task.
Richards T. et.al. Dep. Radiology, University of
Washington
Pulsing magnetic field effects on brain electrical
activity in multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system.
Clinical symptoms include central fatigue, impaired bladder control,
muscle weakness, sensory deficits, impaired cognition, and others. The
cause of MS is unknown, but from histologic, immunologic, and radiologic
studies, we know that there are demyelinated brain lesions (visible on
magnetic resonance images) that contain immune cells such as macrophages
and T-cells (visible on microscopic analysis of brain sections).
Recently, a histologic study has also shown that widespread axonal
damage occurs in MS along with demyelination. What is the possible
connection between MS and bio-electromagnetic fields? We recently
published a review entitled "Bio-electromagnetic applications for
multiple sclerosis," which examined several scientific studies that
demonstrated the effects of electromagnetic fields on nerve
regeneration, brain electrical activity (electro-encephalography),
neurochemistry, and immune system components. All of these effects are
important for disease pathology and clinical symptoms in multiple
sclerosis (MS). EEG was measured in this study in order to test our
hypothesis that the pulsing magnetic device affects the brain electrical
activity, and that this may be a mechanism for the effect we have
observed on patient-reported symptoms. The EEG data reported previously
were measured only during resting and language conditions. The purpose
of the current study was to measure the effect of the electromagnetic
device on EEG activity during and after photic stimulation with flashing
lights. After photic stimulation, there was a statistically significant
increase in alpha EEG magnitude that was greater in the active group
compared to the placebo group in electrode positions P3, T5, and O1
(analysis of variance p<.001, F=14, DF = 1,16). In the comparison
between active versus placebo, changes measured from three electrode
positions were statistically significantly even after multiple
comparison correction.
Richards TL, Acosta-Urquidi, J In Biologic Effects
of Light 1998 Symposium
Treatment with weak electromagnetic fields improves
fatigue associated with multiple sclerosis.
It is estimated that 75-90% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)
experience fatigue at some point during the course of the disease and
that in about half of these patients, subjective fatigue is a primary
complaint. In the majority of patients fatigue is present throughout the
course of the day being most prominent in the mid to late afternoon.
Sleepiness is not prominent, but patients report that rest may attenuate
fatigability. The pathophysiology of the fatigue of MS remains unknown.
Delayed impulse conduction in demyelinated zones may render transmission
in the brainstem reticular formation less effective. In addition, the
observation that rest may restore energy and that administration of
pemoline and amantadine, which increase the synthesis and release of
monoamines, often improve the fatigue of MS suggest that depletion of
neurotransmitter stores in damaged neurons may contribute significantly
to the development of fatigue in these patients. The present report
concerns three MS patients who experienced over several years continuous
and debilitating fatigue throughout the course of the day. Fatigue was
exacerbated by increased physical activity and was not improved by rest.
After receiving a course of treatments with picotesla flux
electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which were applied extracranially, all
patients experienced improvement in fatigue. Remarkably, patients noted
that several months after initiation of treatment with EMFs they were
able to recover, after a short period of rest, from fatigue which
followed increased physical activity. These observations suggest that
replenishment of monoamine stores in neurons damaged by demyelination in
the brainstem reticular formation by periodic applications of picotesla
flux intensity EMFs may lead to more effective impulse conduction and
thus to improvement in fatigue including rapid recovery of fatigue after
rest.
Sandyk R. NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories,
Danbury, CT, USA.
Effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields on rat skin
metabolism.
In an attempt to approach the mechanism of action of pulsed
electromagnetic fields (PEMF) on biological systems, the effects on
protein synthesizing activity and on membrane transport have been
examined in rat skin. PEMF characterized by specific physical parameters
stimulate the incorporation of L-[U-14C] isoleucine into the proteins of
rat skin as well as the alpha-amino [1-14C] isobutyric acid uptake
during incubation in buffer medium with extracellular electrolyte
composition. Analogous incubation experiments carried out in an
intracellular medium results in an inhibitory effect of PEMF on both
biological functions. Addition of 10(-3) M ouabain to the incubation
medium, partially blocking the Na+/K+-ATPase pump mechanism, apart from
reducing amino acid transport, results in an overall disappearance of
any stimulatory effects by PEMF. PEMF applied to the skin in the
presence of 10(-3) M 2,4-dinitrophenol uncoupling the oxidative
phosphorylation in the mitochondria and seriously restricting protein
synthesis, still provides a limited stimulatory effect on protein
synthesizing activity and on membrane transport. The effects of PEMF may
well be understood by an increased availability of precursor elements
controlled at the cell membrane level. Indeed the observed effects may
even be simulated outside electromagnetic fields by modifications in the
electrolyte composition of the incubation medium.
De Loecker W. Et.al. Biochemal dep. Universiteit
Leuven, Belgium. Biochim Biophys Acta
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