Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Increased feelings of the sensed presence and increased geomagnetic activity at the time of the experience during exposures to transcerebral weak complex magnetic fields med./bio.

Published in: Int J Neurosci 2005; 115 (7): 1053-1079

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To investigate whether experiences of a "sensed presence" within an experimental setting were associated with concurrent, increasing geomagnetic activity.

Background/further details

The authors define "sensed presence" as the prototype for reports of noncorporal entities including gods, deceased family members and other ethereal forms. "Sensed presence" can be elicited by weak magnetic fields.
39 students (23 in study 1; 16 in study 2) were exposed. During the experiments a blindfold had been placed over the subjects eyes.
Study 1: Subjects were told to participate in a relaxation study where weak magnetic fields may be presented; the "sensed presence" was not mentioned.
Study 2: Subjects were told the purpose of the experiment was to discern if specific types of magnetic fields could affect the occurence of a "sensed presence".
Additionally, three-hour values of geomagnetic activity were obtained during, before and after the experiments, together with the average of the low and high values of the day before, the day of and after the experiment.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1:
Exposure duration: continuous for 30 min

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 30 min
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Setup test person sitting on a chair in an acoustic chamber wearing a helmet; four sets of solenoids embedded on each side of the helmet; field delivered to opposed solenoid pairs for 0.5s; field rotated through the four pairs once every 2 s; field over the right hemisphere 10 - 30 % stronger than over the left
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
magnetic flux density 1 µT minimum - - -
magnetic flux density 2 µT maximum - - -

Reference articles

  • Persinger MA (1999): Increased emergence of alpha activity over the left but not the right temporal lobe within a dark acoustic chamber: differential response of the left but not the right hemisphere to transcerebral magnetic fields

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Time of investigation:
  • before exposure
  • during exposure
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Study 1 and 2: The incidence of a "sensed presence" while being exposed to magnetic fields was moderately correlated with increased geomagnetic activity during the 3-hour period of the experiment.
Study 1: Except for a significant correlation between EEG measures and the geomagnetic activity the day before the experiment, there were no other significant correlations with "sensed presence" or geomagnetic activity.
Study 2: After applying a statistical correction procedure, the correlation between the reports of a "sensed presence" and the geomagnetic activity did a) not change after removing the influence of the factor "capacity to fantasize; b) decrease after removing the influence of the factor "incidence of dissociation"; and c) increase after removing the influence of the factor "temporal lobe sensitivity".
The results suggest that "sensed presence" is generated by right hemispheric processes that are enhanced by weak magnetic fields and that can be encouraged by increased global geomagnetic activity.

Study character:

Study funded by

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