Investigation of the spinal cord as a natural receptor antenna for incident electromagnetic waves and possible impact on the central nervous system

Abstract

The effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure on biological systems have been studied for many years, both as a source of medical therapy and also for potential health risks. In particular, the mechanisms of EMF absorption in the human or animal body is of medical/engineering interest, and modern modelling techniques, such as the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD), can be utilized to simulate the voltages and currents induced in different parts of the body. The simulation of one particular component, the spinal cord, is the focus of this article, and this study is motivated by the fact that the spinal cord can be modelled as a linear conducting structure, capable of generating a significant amount of voltage from incident EMF.

In this article, we show, through a FDTD simulation analysis of an incoming electromagnetic field (EMF), that the spinal cord acts as a natural antenna, with frequency dependent induced electric voltage and current distribution. The multi-frequency (100–2400 MHz) simulation results show that peak voltage and current response is observed in the FM radio range around 100 MHz, with significant strength to potentially cause changes in the CNS. This work can contribute to the understanding of the mechanism behind EMF energy leakage into the CNS, and the possible contribution of the latter energy leakage towards the weakening of the blood brain barrier (BBB), whose degradation is associated with the progress of many diseases, including Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Declaration of interestThe authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.