Stimulation via Electric and Magnetic Fields

Abstract

Electromagnetic (E-M) fields are ubiquitous in modern society. Radio frequency fields, for example, are produced by a variety of communications devices. Extremely low-frequency fields are produced by power transmission and distribution lines, as well as by home wiring and appliances. Some environmental exposures can result in measurable short-term reactions. The electric fields from high-voltage transmission lines, for example, can provide the opportunity for electric shock under some circumstances. The new generation of magnetic resonance imagers press the limits where perceptible effects might be caused by their time-varying gradient fields. Numerous research efforts have focused on biological effects associated with both short-term and chronic exposure to low-level E-M fields. Although chronic exposure issues are beyond the intended scope of this book, biophysical mechanisms proposed to account for chronic effects are treated briefly in Chapter 11.