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In 1987, [ref. 12b] Dr. Henry Lai, University of Washington, Seattle, speculated that biological responses are in effect stress responses, i.e., EMF is a stressor. Dr. Lai and his team carried out a series of experiments to compare the effects of MW EMF on acetylcholine with those of two known stressors: loud noise and body restraint.
The studies showed that the responses are very similar. Two other pieces of information also supported the notion that EMF is a stressor. It turned out that EMF activates the stress hormone corticotropin releasing factor [ref. 12d], and affect benzodiazepine receptors in the brain [ref. 12d]. Benzodiazepine receptors mediate the action of antianxiety drugs, such as valium and
librium, and are known to change when an animal is stressed.
Dr. Reba Goodman of Columbia University, New York, has studied altered patterns of biosynthesis induced by
EMFs. Dr. Goodman and her team (1989) observed the synthesis of low molecular weight proteins called heat shock or stress proteins following exposure to
EMFs. These stress proteins are also formed as a result of other stressors such as heat shock, ionizing radiation, infections, chemical toxins, etc.
In later studies [ref. 35] [ref. 36] Dr. Goodman showed that EMFs alter the expression and transcription of genes responsible for the onset of stress protein production. Dr. Goodman’s work has been confirmed later by other scientists
(O. Smith 1996).
In 1998 [ref. 37] a team of scientists at the Department of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, UK, published a study showing that transgenic nematodes, used to monitor toxic contaminants in water and soil, react to MW EMF as a stressor, thus confirming the results of Dr. Goodman.
Dr. Goodman has published other reports of studies showing that EMFs alter the transcription of
proto-oncogenes (c-myc and others), which gene factors are believed to be associated with the onset of cancer.
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