EHS: a Possible Generating Mechanism and Prevention

EHS: a possible generating mechanism and prevention

Jacques Lintermans D.Sc. and André Vander Vorst, Professor em. UC Louvain

MW-related pathophysiological alterations

Microwave (MW)-related effects on the brain consist of the pathological opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) with inadequate blood supply or ischemia.

The action mechanism of BBB involves a regulatory control by the proteolytic enzyme matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) (1) (Figure 1). Abnormal BBB opening occurs when these enzymes are stimulated by peroxynitrite (PN) (2) (3).

PN is massively produced in cells by MW exposure of their membrane voltage gate calcium channel (VGCC) (4) (Figure 2).

Chemically, PN is characterized by an active oxygen atom (Figure 3) which may be targeted by drugs with antioxidant properties. This makes vitamin-E a good candidate.

Vitamin-E consists of 8 molecules of which 4 are called tocopherol where mainly the alpha and gamma structural forms play a biological role (Figure 4). These are made of a long aliphatic chain which facilitates their bioavailability near the protein matrix of the BBB. In addition, vitamin-E belongs to the cell membrane.

Ischemia is associated with the EMF-related pathological opening of the BBB causing a decrease in blood supply to the brain (Figure 5) (5).

EHS disorders prevention by gamma-tocopherol

A result of decreased blood supply to the brain neurons is a lack of oxygen or hypoxia. Electrohypersensitivity (EHS) symptoms are related to this pathophysiological alteration. While alpha-tocopherol is best known as Vitamin-E, gamma-tocopherol has been shown to be specifically active to neutralize PN (6). Gamma-tocopherol is thus indicated to protect subjects with pathologically opened BBB, such as EHS subjects (7).

Figures

Figure 1: Blood Brain Barrier

Abbott NJ, Ronnback L, Hansson E. Astrocyte-endothelial interactions at the blood-brain barrier. Nat Rev Neurosci 2006; 7: 41–53..

Figure 2: Cell Membrane

Figure 3: Peroxynitrite molecular structure

Figure 4

Figure 5: Brain ischemia

MRI-scan images of the blood-brain-barrier leakage. Maastricht University, News & Events, 1st of June 2016


References

(1) Rempe R. G., Hatz A. M. S., Bauer B., Matrix metalloproteinases in the brain and blood-brain barrier: Versatile breakers and makers. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2016; 36(9): 1481-1507

(2) Person B. R. et al. Effects of Microwaves from GSM Mobile Phones on the Blood-Brain Barrier and Neurons in Rat Brain. Progress in Electromagnetic Research Symposium, 2005 Hangzhou, China, August 22-26

(3) Daneman R., Prat A. The Blood Brain Barrier. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology 2015; 7(1): a020412

(4) Martin Pall. Electromagnetic fields act via activation of voltage-gated calcium channels to produce beneficial or adverse effects. J Cell Mol Med. 2013 Aug; 17(8): 958–965

(5) Lintermans J., Vander Vorst A. Hematoencephalic barrier and cerebral hypoxia: pathophysiological mechanism of the effects of electromagnetic fields in electrohypersensitive people. Towards Better Health 07 October 2020

(6) Mac William L. What makes gamma-tocopherol superior to alpha-tocopherol.Life Extention Magazine April 2006

(7) Lintermans J., Vander Vorst A. Quelles perspectives de prévention pour le d-gamma-tocophérol (vitamine E naturelle) dans le vieillissement normal et pathologique ? NEURONE • Vol 28 • N° 1 • 2023