title: Brief exposure to a 50 Hz, 100 microT magnetic field: effects on reaction time, accuracy, and recognition memory.
abstract: The present study investigated both the direct and delayed effects of a 50 Hz, 100 microT magnetic field on human performance. Eighty subjects completed a visual duration discrimination task, half being exposed to the field and the other half sham exposed. The delayed effects of this field were also examined in a recognition memory task that followed immediately upon completion of the discrimination task, Unlike our earlier studies, we were unable to find any effects of the field on reaction time and accuracy in the visual discrimination task. However, the field had a delayed effect on memory, producing a decrement in recognition accuracy. We conclude that after many years of experimentation, finding a set of magnetic field parameters and human performance measures that reliably yield magnetic field effects is proving elusive. Yet the large number of significant findings suggests that further research is warranted.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. j.v.podd@massey.ac.nz
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Podd
authors.forename: Jeana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kazantzis
authors.forename: Al
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rowland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000528:radiation effects*