MRI shows that ES patients have abnormal MRIs

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28678737

Functional brain MRI in patients complaining of electrohypersensitivity after long term exposure to electromagnetic fields.


INTRODUCTION:
Ten adult patients with electromagnetic hypersensitivity underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain scans.

All scans were abnormal with abnormalities which were consistent and similar.

It is proposed that fMRI brain scans be used as a diagnostic aid for determining whether or not a patient has electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

Over the years we have seen an increasing number of patients who had developed multi system complaints after long term repeated exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs).

These complaints included headaches, intermittent cognitive and memory problems, intermittent disorientation, and also sensitivity to EMF exposure.

Regular laboratory tests were within normal limits in these patients.

The patients refused to be exposed to radioactivity.

This of course ruled out positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain scanning.

This is why we ordered fMRI brain scans on these patients.

We hoped that we could document objective abnormalities in these patients who had often been labeled as psychiatric cases.


MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Ten patients first underwent a regular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan, using a 3 Tesla Siemens Verio MRI open system.

A functional MRI study was then performed in the resting state using the following sequences: A three-dimensional, T1-weighted, gradient-echo (MPRAGE) Resting state network.

The echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequences for this resting state blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) scan were then post processed on a 3D workstation and the independent component analysis was performed separating out the various networks.

Arterial spin labeling.
Tractography and fractional anisotropy.

RESULTS:
All ten patients had abnormal functional MRI brain scans.

The abnormality was often described as hyper connectivity of the anterior component of the default mode in the medial orbitofrontal area.

Other abnormalities were usually found. Regular MRI studies of the brain were mostly unremarkable in these patients.

CONCLUSION:
We propose that functional MRI studies should become a diagnostic aid when evaluating a patient who claims electrohypersensitivity (EHS) and has otherwise normal studies.

 Interestingly, the differential diagnosis for the abnormalities seen on the fMRI includes head injury.

It turns out that many of our patients indeed had a history of head injury which was then followed sometime later by the development of EHS.

Many of our patients also had a history of exposure to potentially neurotoxic chemicals, especially mold.

Head injury and neurotoxic chemical exposure may make a patient more vulnerable to develop EHS.

I smacked my head on the pavement a couple of times,
with my bike. Both as kid and as adult.
No concussions though (i think).
But maybe that's because there isn't much in there ?
I lived in mold before,
and i suspect there to be hidden mold here too.

This is interesting, however, EHS folks probably shouldn't be exposing themselves to the likely massive electrical and magnetic fields they would have to during an MRI. I'm sensitive to all frequencies, this would be a no-go for me.

Erica, me neither. I just posted this here because it sounded interesting...

My EHS is pretty low/ dormant, so in my case, it does not seem the case for me.

I believe on the theory of chronic nerve infections plus heavy metals creating symptoms of EHS- treat these things, and you may heal, or at least, get less sensitive.

But of course, having head traumas shouldn't help, as there can be weaknesses in the brain / tissue, and these weak spots can become spots that will harbor infections (like when you do surgery, or old wounds that took time to heal... ).  That's my view on the topic...

In anyway, going for MRI and knowing you have a head trauma... what does it bring to you in terms of healing? Not much, right? So me too, I wouldn't do that due to high magnetic fields, only to 'know' I had a head trauma, if there's no treatment from it (in conventional medicine at least...).

This all makes sense because I looked up that area of the brain and that is definitely where it all stems from. I don't think it's a coincidence that the burning feeling on the forehead that is most obvious when I get exposed bad enough later moving to other areas of the head is right over the exact area following the sensory disturbances and other cascades it has. I have a history of a lot that went wrong there. One of the biggest things was mold and toxins but I have also gotten hit hard there a good handful of times probably not doing the situation any better. I have healed a lot but I'm now stuck at this base that feels like it's just damage to the area itself.  

Sourdo: do you mean you feel a burning sensation on your forehead when you are in an electromagnetic field?