Changes of Clinically Important Neurotransmitters under the Influence of Modulated RF Fields␣A Long-term Study under Real-life Conditions

Changes of Clinically Important Neurotransmitters under the Influence of Modulated RF Fields␣A Long-term Study under Real-life Conditions

Klaus Buchner and Horst Eger

This follow-up of 60 participants over one and a half years shows a significant effect on the adrenergic sys- tem after the installation of a new cell phone base station in the village of Rimbach (﴾Bavaria)﴿. After the activation of the GSM base station, the levels of the stress hormones adrenaline and noradrena- line increased significantly during the first six months; the levels of the precursor dopamine decreased substantially. The initial levels were not restored even after one and a half years. As an indicator of the dysregulated chronic imbalance of the stress system, the phenylethylamine (﴾PEA)﴿ levels dropped signifi- cantly until the end of the study period.

The effects showed a dose-response relationship and occurred well below current limits for technical RF radiation exposures. Chronic dysregulation of the catecholamine system has great relevance for health and is well known to damage human health in the long run.

Keywords: cell phone base station, long-term study, stress hormones, radiofrequency radiation, GSM transmitter, far-field radiation

---------------------------------------------- Conclusion

Thus, the following hypothesis is proposed: Although participants maintained their usual lifestyle, they developed chronic stress with a primary increase in adrenaline/noradrenaline and a subsequent decrease in dopamine in response to the microwave exposure from the newly installed cell phone base station. During the stage of counterregulation, the "trace amine" PEA decreases and remains decreased.

This is of considerable clinical relevance because psychiatric symp- toms also exhibit altered PEA levels. In Rimbach, the increase in sleep problems, cephalgia, vertigo, concentration problems, and allergies could be clinically documented after the cell phone base station had been activated. The newly developed symptoms can be explained clinically with the help of disturbances in the humoral stress axis (﴾53)﴿.

After having exhausted the biological feedback mechanisms, major health problems are to be expected. The possible long-term con- sequences of remaining caught in the exhaustion stage have al- ready been described by Hecht and Selye (﴾3, 16)﴿.

Thus, the significant results presented here not only provide clear evidence for health-relevant effects in the study subjects of Rim- bach after a new GSM base station had been installed there, but they also offer the opportunity to carry out a causal analysis. This has already been successfully done in the "shut-down study" of Schwarzenburg, Switzerland (﴾54)﴿. In Rimbach, the documented levels should return to normal once the relevant base station is shut down.

Epidemiological Evidence

There is current epidemiological evidence for the considerable clini- cal relevance of the dysfunction of the humoral stress axis with its endpoints of PEA decrease and adrenaline increase, as documented by us.

1. Decreased PEA levels can be found in a large portion of ADD/ADHD patients. As therapy methylphenidate is used, a sub- stance that is structurally related to PEA. Between 1990 and 2004, the boom time of cell phones, prescription costs for this medication had increased by a factor of 86 (﴾49, 55)﴿.

2. As part of the German Mobile Telecommunication Research Programme, approximately 3000 children and adolescents were studied in Bavaria for their individual cell phone radiation exposure levels in relation to health problems. Among the various data sets, the data set regarding behavioral problems showed a significant increased risk for both adolescents (﴾OR: 3.7, 95%-CI: 1.6-8.4)﴿ and also children (﴾OR: 2.9, 95%-CI: 1.4-5.9)﴿ in the highest exposure group (﴾56)﴿. For the first time, the "Rimbach Study" provides a model of explanation in biochemical terms.

3. Pheochromocytomata are adrenaline- and noradrenaline- secreting tumors of the adrenal gland (﴾57)﴿. This type of tumor due to microwave exposure has already been demonstrated in animalexperiments in 1985 (﴾5)﴿. The increase of this disease in the US population is highly significant. Concurrent with the increase in local microwave exposures due to an increased number of base stations and use of wireless communication technologies, the number of cases have increased from 1,927 to 3,344 between 1997 and 2006 (﴾58, 59)﴿.

It is a physician's responsibility␣not bound by directives␣to work toward the preservation of the natural basis of life regarding hu- man health (﴾60)﴿. Now it is the duty of the responsible agencies (﴾public health department, Bavarian State Ministry of the Environ- ment and Public Health as well as other federal ministries)﴿ to in- vestigate the current situation.