5G radio-frequency-electromagnetic-field effects on the human sleep electroencephalogram: A randomized controlled study in CACNA1C genotyped volunteers
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 electroen...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | NeuroImage |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S105381192500343X |
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| author | Georgia Sousouri Corinne Eicher Rachele Maria D’Angelo Marie Billecocq Thomas Fussinger Mirjam Studler Myles Capstick Niels Kuster Peter Achermann Reto Huber Hans-Peter Landolt |
| author_facet | Georgia Sousouri Corinne Eicher Rachele Maria D’Angelo Marie Billecocq Thomas Fussinger Mirjam Studler Myles Capstick Niels Kuster Peter Achermann Reto Huber Hans-Peter Landolt |
| author_sort | Georgia Sousouri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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 in NREM sleep. Methods: Thirty-four participants, genotyped for rs7304986 (15 T/C and 19 matched 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 only 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 that 3.6 GHz 5G RF-EMF modulates spindle center frequency in 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-21cfd554583d4a52b6117bcdfdb5c301 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1095-9572 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage |
| spelling | doaj-art-21cfd554583d4a52b6117bcdfdb5c3012025-08-20T03:32:50ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722025-08-0131712134010.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.1213405G radio-frequency-electromagnetic-field effects on the human sleep electroencephalogram: A randomized controlled study in CACNA1C genotyped volunteersGeorgia Sousouri0Corinne Eicher1Rachele Maria D’Angelo2Marie Billecocq3Thomas Fussinger4Mirjam Studler5Myles Capstick6Niels Kuster7Peter Achermann8Reto Huber9Hans-Peter Landolt10Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandIT’IS Foundation, ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandIT’IS Foundation, ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandIT’IS Foundation, ETH Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Sleep & Health Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandSleep & Health Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; University Children's Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Sleep & Health Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Corresponding author.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 in NREM sleep. Methods: Thirty-four participants, genotyped for rs7304986 (15 T/C and 19 matched 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 only 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 that 3.6 GHz 5G RF-EMF modulates spindle center frequency in 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.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S105381192500343X5G RF-EMFVoltage-gated calcium channelsNREM sleepSleep spindlesBiological mechanism |
| spellingShingle | Georgia Sousouri Corinne Eicher Rachele Maria D’Angelo Marie Billecocq Thomas Fussinger Mirjam Studler Myles Capstick Niels Kuster Peter Achermann Reto Huber Hans-Peter Landolt 5G radio-frequency-electromagnetic-field effects on the human sleep electroencephalogram: A randomized controlled study in CACNA1C genotyped volunteers NeuroImage 5G RF-EMF Voltage-gated calcium channels NREM sleep Sleep spindles Biological mechanism |
| title | 5G radio-frequency-electromagnetic-field effects on the human sleep electroencephalogram: A randomized controlled study in CACNA1C genotyped volunteers |
| title_full | 5G radio-frequency-electromagnetic-field effects on the human sleep electroencephalogram: A randomized controlled study in CACNA1C genotyped volunteers |
| title_fullStr | 5G radio-frequency-electromagnetic-field effects on the human sleep electroencephalogram: A randomized controlled study in CACNA1C genotyped volunteers |
| title_full_unstemmed | 5G radio-frequency-electromagnetic-field effects on the human sleep electroencephalogram: A randomized controlled study in CACNA1C genotyped volunteers |
| title_short | 5G radio-frequency-electromagnetic-field effects on the human sleep electroencephalogram: A randomized controlled study in CACNA1C genotyped volunteers |
| title_sort | 5g radio frequency electromagnetic field effects on the human sleep electroencephalogram a randomized controlled study in cacna1c genotyped volunteers |
| topic | 5G RF-EMF Voltage-gated calcium channels NREM sleep Sleep spindles Biological mechanism |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S105381192500343X |
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