Acute neurobehavioral effects of exposure to static magnetic fields: analyses of exposure-response relations.
OBJECTIVE
To assess exposure-response relations between exposure to magnetic fields and neurobehavioral effects.


METHODS
Twenty company volunteers completed a neurobehavioral test battery after they moved their heads with the magnetic field absent, and while they moved their heads in the inhomogenous stray fields of 1.5 and 3.0 T MRI magnets.


RESULTS
The value of the stray fields at the position of the head of the volunteer was estimated to be 0.6 T and 1.0 T on the 1.5 T and 3.0 T systems, respectively. Exposure-response relations were found for visual (-2.1%/100 mT) and auditory (-1.0%/100 mT) working memory, eye-hand coordination speed (-1.0%/100 mT), and visual tracking tasks (-3.1%/100 mT). Eye-hand precision, scanning speed, and visual contrast sensitivity were apparently not influenced by the magnetic field strength.


CONCLUSIONS
Additional research should focus on the potential side effects of interventional MR procedures because of the exposure to strong magnetic fields of these systems.
de Vocht
Frank
F
Environmental and Occupational Health Division, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.176, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands. F.devocht@iras.uu.nl
Stevens
Tobias
T
van Wendel-de-Joode
Berna
B
Engels
Hans
H
Kromhout
Hans
H
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D019416:Head Movements; D006801:Humans; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests