5G RF-EMF Effects on the Human Sleep Electroencephalogram: A Randomized Controlled Study in

Abstract

5G RF-EMF Effects on the Human Sleep Electroencephalogram: A Randomized Controlled Study in Healthy Volunteers (pre-print, not peer-reviewed) My note: Most studies to date that claim to evaluate the effects of 5G exposure did not employ a 5G signal generator. This study, however, used an exposure system (sXh5G) developed by the IT’IS Foundation that provides a controlled and well-characterized 5G EMF exposure at two different carrier frequencies. Sousouri G, Eicher C, D'Angelo RM, Billecocq M, Fussinger T, Studler M, Capstick M, Kuster N, Achermann P, Huber R, Landolt H-P. 5G Radio-Frequency-Electromagnetic-Field Effects on the Human Sleep Electroencephalogram: A Randomized Controlled Study in CACNA1C Genotyped Healthy Volunteers. MedRxiv. Dec 26, 2024. doi: 10.1101/2024.12.16.24319082. Abstract Background: The introduction of 5G technology as the latest standard in mobile telecommunications has raised concerns about its potential health effects. Prior studies of earlier generations of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) demonstrated narrowband spectral increases in the electroencephalographic (EEG) spindle frequency range (11-16 Hz) in non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep. However, the impact of 5G RF-EMF on sleep remains unexplored. Additionally, RF-EMF can activate L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (LTCC), which have been linked to sleep quality and EEG oscillatory activity. Objective: This study investigates whether the allelic variant rs7304986 in the CACNA1C gene, encoding the α1C subunit of LTCC, modulates 5G RF-EMF effects on EEG spindle activity during NREM sleep. Methods: Thirty-four healthy, matched participants, genotyped for rs7304986 (15 T/C and 19 T/T carriers), underwent a double-blind, sham-controlled study with standardized left-hemisphere exposure to two 5G RF-EMF signals (3.6 GHz and 700 MHz) for 30 min before sleep. Sleep spindle activity was analyzed using high-density EEG and the Fitting Oscillations & One Over f (FOOOF) algorithm. Results: T/C carriers reported longer sleep latency compared to T/T carriers. A significant interaction between RF-EMF exposure and rs7304986 genotype was observed, with 3.6 GHz exposure in T/C carriers inducing a faster spindle center frequency in the central, parietal, and occipital cortex compared to sham. Conclusion: These findings suggest 3.6 GHz 5G RF-EMF modulates spindle center frequency during NREM sleep in a CACNA1C genotype-dependent manner, implicating LTCC in the physiological response to RF-EMF and underscoring the need for further research into 5G effects on brain health. Excerpts All participants completed three experimental nights with different, standardized exposure conditions according to a randomized, double-blind, cross-over design: 1) 30-min, pre-sleep exposure to an active 5G EMF at a carrier frequency of 700 MHz, 20 MHz bandwidth, and 12.5 Hz applied power control, 2) 30- min, pre-sleep exposure to an active 5G EMF at a carrier frequency of 3.6 GHz, 100 MHz bandwidth, and 12.5 Hz applied power control, and 3) a 30-min sham exposure without an active field.... All exposure conditions were administered with the same exposure system (sXh5G), provided by the IT’IS Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society (IT'IS Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland), which ensures controlled and well-characterized 5G EMF exposure. Following detailed simulated dosimetry (Figure 1), the signal intensity was calibrated to ensure the specific absorption rate (SAR) for the head (averaged over 10 g of tissue) did not exceed 2 W/kg. The active field remained within the SAR limit for the general population established by the International Commission on Non- Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and posed no known health risks. The two active fields administered are 5G uplink signals generated in the 5G frequency range. The lower frequency signal has a carrier frequency of 700 MHz, 20 MHz bandwidth, Frequency Division Duplexing/Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (FDD/OFDM) with 24 resource blocks, 16 time slots, 60 kHz sub-carrier spacing and Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulation, with an output power of 4.28 W. The higher frequency signal has a carrier frequency of 3.6 GHz, 100 MHz bandwidth, Time Division Duplexing (TDD)/QPSK OFDM with 135 resource blocks, 16 time slots, 60 kHz sub-carrier spacing and QPSK modulation, with an output power of 1.63 W. In the signals used, only uplink communication is implemented, and all frames are identical with 16 time slots. Both signals have identical power control applied that introduces low frequency amplitude modulation at 12.5 Hz on top of the modulation due to the occupied time slots which have a dominant power modulation frequency of 200 Hz resulting in a 14.2 dB peak to average power ratio (PAPR) (Supp. Figure 1, 2 & 3). The exposure levels in grey and white matter, thalamus and all tissues in the brain averaged over 0.125 g which is a cube of side length ~5 mm are reported in Table 1 for both 700 MHz and 3.6 GHz.... ... we found a significant interaction between exposure and the genetic variant in the center frequency of sleep spindles. Specifically, we demonstrated a topographically widespread acceleration of spindle center frequency in the T/C carriers after exposure to the 3.6 GHz RF-EMF in comparison to sham.... By leveraging the strengths of spectral parameterization, we demonstrated a widespread shift in the center frequency of sleep spindles towards faster oscillatory activity in T/C allele carriers after exposure to a 5G RF-EMF with a carrier frequency of 3.6 GHz. This effect was evident in central, parietal, and occipital cortical areas coinciding with areas that predominantly express faster spindles. A number of previous studies also reported enhanced EEG spectral power in the upper spindle range after exposure to RF-EMF of earlier generation (Huber et al., 2000, 2002; Schmid, Loughran, et al., 2012; Schmid, Murbach, et al., 2012).... The discrepancy between the deeper penetration of the 700 MHz signal revealed by the simulated SAR distribution in the brain and the more pronounced effects on the EEG sleep spindles observed following exposure to the 3.6 GHz signal remains unclear. Notably, the pulse modulation, which has been identified as critical for the biological effects of RF-EMF (Huber et al., 2002), was identical at 12.5 Hz in both fields and the psSAR10gr was consistently set at 2 W/kg. The findings underscore the necessity for a comprehensive investigation into the complex characteristics of the new 5G signals. Furthermore, they may suggest that the dielectric and conductive properties of the tissues associated with the minor allele may not be adequately represented by the current simulation parameters. Alternatively, the observed effects may indicate a distinct mode of action that is unrelated to SAR distribution.... The differential effects observed between the 700 MHz and 3.6 GHz exposures highlight the importance of considering signal characteristics and tissue properties in understanding RF-EMF interactions. Overall, our results provide new insights into the genetic and biophysical factors underlying RF-EMF effects on sleep, emphasizing the need for more targeted studies to elucidate these mechanisms. Open access pre-print: medrxiv.org

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

In a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized cross-over study (three nights: 700 MHz, 3.6 GHz, sham), a significant exposure-by-genotype interaction was observed for sleep spindle center frequency. Specifically, 3.6 GHz exposure in T/C carriers induced a faster spindle center frequency in central, parietal, and occipital cortex compared with sham; 700 MHz effects on spindle center frequency were not reported as significant in the abstract.

Outcomes measured

• Sleep EEG spindle activity during NREM sleep (spindle center frequency; 11–16 Hz range)
• Sleep latency (self-reported; genotype comparison)

Limitations

• Pre-print/not peer-reviewed
• Small sample size (n=34)
• Exposure was standardized to the left hemisphere and limited to 30 min pre-sleep; may not represent typical real-world exposures
• Findings depend on genotype subgrouping (rs7304986 T/C vs T/T), which may limit generalizability

Suggested hubs

• who-icnirp (0.55)
  Exposure calibrated to remain within ICNIRP general public SAR limit (psSAR10g ≤ 2 W/kg) and explicitly references ICNIRP.

{
    "study_type": "randomized_trial",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "5G uplink signal generator (sXh5G exposure system)",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": 2,
        "duration": "30 min pre-sleep exposure (each condition)"
    },
    "population": "Healthy volunteers genotyped for CACNA1C rs7304986 (T/C and T/T carriers)",
    "sample_size": 34,
    "outcomes": [
        "Sleep EEG spindle activity during NREM sleep (spindle center frequency; 11–16 Hz range)",
        "Sleep latency (self-reported; genotype comparison)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In a double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized cross-over study (three nights: 700 MHz, 3.6 GHz, sham), a significant exposure-by-genotype interaction was observed for sleep spindle center frequency. Specifically, 3.6 GHz exposure in T/C carriers induced a faster spindle center frequency in central, parietal, and occipital cortex compared with sham; 700 MHz effects on spindle center frequency were not reported as significant in the abstract.",
    "effect_direction": "mixed",
    "limitations": [
        "Pre-print/not peer-reviewed",
        "Small sample size (n=34)",
        "Exposure was standardized to the left hemisphere and limited to 30 min pre-sleep; may not represent typical real-world exposures",
        "Findings depend on genotype subgrouping (rs7304986 T/C vs T/T), which may limit generalizability"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "no",
    "keywords": [
        "5G",
        "RF-EMF",
        "sleep",
        "EEG",
        "NREM",
        "sleep spindles",
        "CACNA1C",
        "rs7304986",
        "L-type voltage-gated calcium channels",
        "genotype",
        "double-blind",
        "sham-controlled",
        "randomized cross-over",
        "3.6 GHz",
        "700 MHz",
        "SAR 2 W/kg",
        "FOOOF"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "who-icnirp",
            "weight": 0.5500000000000000444089209850062616169452667236328125,
            "reason": "Exposure calibrated to remain within ICNIRP general public SAR limit (psSAR10g ≤ 2 W/kg) and explicitly references ICNIRP."
        }
    ]
}

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