Brain Health + EMF

Have you ever thought about how your brain works? We use it every day and sometimes take its functionality for granted. Fun fact – our brains actually weigh approximately 3 pounds in the average human, and is made up of 60% fat! The brain is actually an extremely complicated organ that manages our memory, thoughts, emotions, our 5 senses, temperature, hunger cues, and nearly all processes that control our bodies. In partnership with the spinal cord, the two organs actually make up the central nervous system – a critical component of our body’s functionality.

Brain anatomy:

Now how exactly does it work? Since the brain is in control at all times, it needs to be aware of every process/organ in our body – and it receives & sends these messages in the form of chemical/electrical signals throughout. Distinct signals control different processes, and the brain understands each one. Some signals can make you feel hungry, while others make you feel sad, or angry – it’s the brain’s job to read and understand these signals. However, sometimes, a few of these messages remain in the brain whilst the others are transmitted through the spine and across the body’s huge network of nerves. For this, the central nervous system (CNS) relies on literally billions (86 billion to be precise) of neurons or nerve cells to act as messengers.

For contextual purposes, it’s also important to understand the different parts of the brain. The majority of the brain is the cerebrum that’s split up into 2 hemispheres (you’ve probably done a personality test to know if you’re right/left hemisphere-d). Each one is made up of 4 distinct lobes including the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital.

The frontal lobe is critical for complex critical functions such as decision making, complicated thought processes and for planning ahead. In particular, the prefrontal cortex is used for all the important decisions you make and it actually doesn’t fully develop until you’re 25, which is why there are studies proving we don’t make sound decisions until then!! The temporal lobe creates memories & emotions and the parietal lobe combines “code” from different senses is integral for our spatial navigation. The processing of visual data happens in the occipital lobe, on the backend of the skull. Finally, the brainstem serves as the bridge between the brain & the spinal cord and includes the “medulla oblongata”, “pons” and midbrain. The main functionalities of the brainstem are to transmit important information between the brain & the body, and execute vital functions to manage the heart, breathing & our cycles of consciousness (sleep/wake cycles)

What are neurotransmitters:

Now that we have enough contextual knowledge on the brain, let’s dig deeper. What about those neurotransmitters? Their function is as mentioned before, to be chemical messengers and carry messages to and from the body & the brain. These messages are critical to enabling you to move your muscles, and limbs, feel any sort of sensations, keep your heart breathing, and take in & respond to all information your body gets from internal systems/organs and the external environment. They’re actually super important!

How are neurotransmitters affected by EMFs:

As we’ve previously discussed, due to the speedy development of digital data in the past 30 years or so, technical attainments based on electromagnetism have been extensively utilized in a plethora of fields related to human production & life. Unfortunately, as a result, EMR has become a major new pollution source in today’s societies. The potential interplay of EMR with our critical organs, in particular, the brain is a huge topic of interest. A variety of studies depict the fact that the nervous system is actually especially sensitive to EMR – and in specific, every year we see more data with a focus on the neurobiological consequences of EMR such as the transportation/movement of neurotransmitters. As messengers, neurotransmitters play critical roles in our cognitive and emotional reactions since they control whether our messages our received & acted upon.

Since there is a diverse range of neurotransmitters, it would be impossible to cover the effect of EMR on all of them – so we’ll focus on 5-HT(serotonin), norepinephrine & epinephrine.

The neurotransmitter for serotonin is called 5-Hydroxytryptamine (HT). It’s an inhibitory neurotransmitter and actually contributes to the maintenance and control of many of our physiological functions including our mood, feeding, cognition, memory, pain, sleep and our homeostasis. There was a study on rats that studied their 5-HT content before and after EMR exposure and found that it has drastically increased from 28 days to 2 months. The changes reflected, as a result, including a decrease in learning & memory abilities, and abnormal EEG results later on. The study concluded that long-term exposure could potentially cause cognitive difficulties & a change in our brain morphology – that could be extremely dangerous down the road.

Epinephrine and norepinephrine are very similar neurotransmitters in terms of functionality and makeup. Epinephrine has a slightly larger effect on the heart, and norepinephrine has more of an effect on your blood vessels. However, they both play a critical role in your fight-or-flight response. Some studies that have tested on rats, found results where the levels of both these neurotransmitters have decreased overall (Megha, et al), whereas others have found a decrease in one and an increase in another (Ji, et al). When combined, it can be concluded from these studies that prolonged exposure to EMR has the potential to lead to unusual levels of Epinephrine and norepinephrine levels depending on the dosage of radiation.

How the brain is affected by EMF:

There are a plethora of studies depicting the effects on the brain as a whole when exposed to EMF radiation, which involves our neural pathways changing and the likelihood of us experiencing a cognitive disorder in the future such as Alzheimer’s and/or Parkinson’s. There are also studies demonstrating how harmful prolonged exposure to such radiation can be even more harmful to younger individuals, and how it actually interrupts our natural brain development. Aires Tech actually met with top neuroscientist Dr. Dogris, to visually illustrate the different effects our brains undergo with and without protection when exposed to EMR. Check it out here!

Overall, we understand the cruciality of our neurotransmitters working effectively to ensure we can carry out the most basic of our day-to-day processes & ensure our organs are functioning optimally. But when we subject ourselves to prolonged exposure from devices (phones, laptops, TVs, you name it), we put our most critical organs at risk of functional deterioration. Here are our best tips to ensure you’re taking the right steps to stay protected!