The geomagnetic field influences the sensitivity of our eyes

Thoss, F.; Bartsch, Bengt

doi:10.1016/j.visres.2007.01.022

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Numerous studies with varying degrees of reliability have shown that magnetic fields can affect virtually all living organisms, from bacteria to human beings [Presman, 1970;Blakemore, 1975;Binhi, 2002;Wiltschko and Wiltschko, 2005;Pazur et al, 2007;Schuler, 2007]. Eye sensitivity and blood pressure depend on geomagnetic field variations [Thoss and Bartsch, 2007;Zenchenko et al, 2012]. Related issues have long been reviewed and discussed with data from exposure of patients to strong, static magnetic fields during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [Schenck, 2000;Hartwig et al, 2009].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enzymatic mechanisms of biological magnetic sensitivity

Летута

Berdinskiy

Udagawa

et al. 2017

Bioelectromagnetics

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Primary biological magnetoreceptors in living organisms is one of the main research problems in magnetobiology. Intracellular enzymatic reactions accompanied by electron transfer have been shown to be receptors of magnetic fields, and spin-dependent ion-radical processes can be a universal mechanism of biological magnetosensitivity. Magnetic interactions in intermediate ion-radical pairs, such as Zeeman and hyperfine (HFI) interactions, in accordance with proposed strict quantum mechanical theory, can determine magnetic-field dependencies of reactions that produce biologically important molecules needed for cell growth. Hyperfine interactions of electrons with nuclear magnetic moments of magnetic isotopes can explain the most important part of biomagnetic sensitivities in a weak magnetic field comparable to the Earth's magnetic field. The theoretical results mean that magnetic-field dependencies of enzymatic reaction rates in a weak magnetic field that can be independent of HFI constant a, if H << a, and are determined by the rate constant of chemical transformations in the enzyme active site. Both Zeeman and HFI interactions predict strong magnetic-field dependence in weak magnetic fields and magnetic-field independence of enzymatic reaction rate constants in strong magnetic fields. The theoretical results can explain the magnetic sensitivity of E. coli cell and demonstrate that intracellular enzymatic reactions are primary magnetoreceptors in living organisms. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:511-521, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enzymatic mechanisms of biological magnetic sensitivity

Летута

Berdinskiy

Udagawa

et al. 2017

Bioelectromagnetics

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“…Somewhat surprisingly, while magnetodetection in humans is not widely accepted, there is increasing evidence suggesting that such a sense may exist. In recent studies, it has been demonstrated that weak magnetic fields as the geomagnetic ones can provoke evoked potentials in humans (Carrubba et al 2007) or can influence the visual sensitivity of man (Thoss and Bartsch 2007), supporting the evidence for the radical-pair retinal model in humans. Further experiments on magnetodetection have demonstrated, as the first thing, that cryptochrome is necessary for a light-dependent magnetic sense in Drosophila (Gegear et al 2008) and successively that the human cryptochrome CRY2 has the molecular capability to function as a light-sensitive magnetosensor (Foley et al 2011).…”

Section: Section 2: Molecular Mechanisms At the Basis Of Possible Biomentioning

confidence: 65%

Possible molecular and cellular mechanisms at the basis of atmospheric electromagnetic field bioeffects

et al. 2020

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Mechanisms of how electromagnetic (EM) field acts on biological systems are governed by the same physics regardless of the origin of the EM field (technological, atmospheric...), given that EM parameters are the same. We draw from a large body of literature of bioeffects of a man-made electromagnetic field. In this paper, we performed a focused review on selected possible mechanisms of how atmospheric electromagnetic phenomena can act at the molecular and cellular level. We first briefly review the range of frequencies and field strengths for both electric and magnetic fields in the atmosphere. Then, we focused on a concise description of the current knowledge on weak electric and magnetic field bioeffects with possible molecular mechanisms at the basis of possible EM field bioeffects combined with modeling strategies to estimate reliable outcomes and speculate about the biological effects linked to lightning or pyroelectricity. Indeed, we bring pyroelectricity as a natural source of voltage gradients previously unexplored. While very different from lightning, it can result in similar bioeffects based on similar mechanisms, which can lead to close speculations on the importance of these atmospheric electric fields in the evolution.

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“…The mean values and their range of confidence for each subject were calculated from the five values for the threshold intensity obtained for each test time. This approach is justified because it can be assumed that the discrimination thresholds are normally distributed [12]. The averaging of the individual time courses then gave the mean course of the discrimination threshold for all subjects (Figure 2).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subjective and Electroretinographic Dynamics of Light Adaptation in the Human Visual System

Bartsch

Thoss

2018

Vision

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The excitation of the visual system increases with increasing retinal illumination. At the same time, the sensitivity of the system decreases (light adaptation). Higher excitation automatically results in a lower sensitivity. This study investigates whether this antagonistic relationship between excitation and sensitivity also applies to the dynamic case, that is, during the transition to a higher excitation level after a sudden increase in retinal illuminance. For this purpose, the courses of the subjective and the electroretinographic threshold in the transitional period during and after a step of the adaptation illuminance were investigated by means of a special light-stimulation system. The investigation was carried out on 9 (subjective threshold) and 12 (electroretinographic threshold) subjects. As a measure of the course of the excitation during this time, the response ERG on the adaptation step was recorded. With the step in adaptation light, the thresholds show a rapid increase, which starts already about 0.1 s before the step. This is followed, within the next second, by a threshold decrease to a new plateau above the initial level. The comparison between the response ERG on the adaptation step and the course of the electroretinographic increment threshold during this time shows a broad agreement between the two courses. Thus, it can be assumed that the sensitivity of the visual system also follows the excitation in the dynamic case. In addition, the investigation shows that the glare experienced after a step in illuminance apparently shows great subjective differences.

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The geomagnetic field influences the sensitivity of our eyes

Cited by 17 publications

References 12 publications

Enzymatic mechanisms of biological magnetic sensitivity

Enzymatic mechanisms of biological magnetic sensitivity

Possible molecular and cellular mechanisms at the basis of atmospheric electromagnetic field bioeffects

Subjective and Electroretinographic Dynamics of Light Adaptation in the Human Visual System

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