Red Light Facilitates the Sensed Presence Elicited by Application of Weak, Burst-Firing Magnetic Fields Over the Temporal Lobes

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that the wavelength (color) of ambient lightning should modulate experiences of a sensed presence when the right hemisphere was stimulated by weak, burst-firing magnetic fields, volunteers were exposed for 30 min to this condition or to a sham field while they sat (eyes opened) in either dim red, green, or white light. Subjects exposed to the magnetic field reported significantly more visual sensations along the left side in red light and along the right side in green light. The significant interaction between ambient color and the field treatment was due to the marked increase in experiences of dizziness, sensed presence, "ego-alien" thoughts, and detachment from the body and "being somewhere else" for subjects exposed to the magnetic field while sitting in red light. The concurrence of entoptic images experienced within the upper left peripheral visual field and the sensed presence supported the hypothesis that both are associated with the intrusion of right hemispheric processes into left hemispheric awareness.

The Influence of Burst-Firing EMF on Forskolin-Induced Pheochromocytoma (PC12) Plasma Membrane Extensions

“…Our lab has previously shown that exposures to specific time-varying, physiologically patterned, propagating electromagnetic fields (EMF) can affect biological systems [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30]. For example, exposure to a frequency-modulated EMF called the Thomas-EMF is capable of reducing proliferation of B16-BL6 melanoma cells in vivo and in vitro [31][32][33].…”

Can the 8-Coil Shakti Alter Subjective Emotional Experience? A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study

“…Persinger and colleagues' experimental research on magnetic field exposure has often been conducted using a device of their own design (often referred to as the "Koren" helmet), which consists of eight magneticfield producing solenoids attached to a motorcycle helmet (Persinger, et al, 1994Freeman & Persinger, 1996;Meli & Persinger, 2009). Research using the Koren helmet and similar devices has shown that exposure to purposefully constructed weak and complex magnetic fields (in contrast to exposure to sham magnetic fields) results in increased sensedpresence experiences and other perceptual and neurophysiological alterations (Persinger, et al, 1994Roll, et al, 2002;Hill & Persinger, 2003;Booth, et al, 2005;Meli & Persinger, 2009).…”

“…In particular, the work of Michael Persinger has received substantial attention. In addition to research examining the effects of naturally fluctuating geomagnetic activity (Booth, Koren, & Persinger, 2005), Persinger and colleagues have published a number of studies using controlled experimental procedures to assess the psychological effects of exposure to weak and complex magnetic fields (Persinger, Richards, & Koren, 1994;Baker-Price & Persinger, 1996Freeman & Persinger, 1996;Persinger, Tiller, & Koren, 2000;Roll, Persinger, Webster, Tiller, & Cook, 2002;Tsang, Koren, & Persinger, 2004;Booth, et al, 2005;Meli & Persinger, 2009). Persinger and colleagues' experimental research on magnetic field exposure has often been conducted using a device of their own design (often referred to as the "Koren" helmet), which consists of eight magneticfield producing solenoids attached to a motorcycle helmet (Persinger, et al, 1994Freeman & Persinger, 1996;Meli & Persinger, 2009).…”

“…In addition to research examining the effects of naturally fluctuating geomagnetic activity (Booth, Koren, & Persinger, 2005), Persinger and colleagues have published a number of studies using controlled experimental procedures to assess the psychological effects of exposure to weak and complex magnetic fields (Persinger, Richards, & Koren, 1994;Baker-Price & Persinger, 1996Freeman & Persinger, 1996;Persinger, Tiller, & Koren, 2000;Roll, Persinger, Webster, Tiller, & Cook, 2002;Tsang, Koren, & Persinger, 2004;Booth, et al, 2005;Meli & Persinger, 2009). Persinger and colleagues' experimental research on magnetic field exposure has often been conducted using a device of their own design (often referred to as the "Koren" helmet), which consists of eight magneticfield producing solenoids attached to a motorcycle helmet (Persinger, et al, 1994Freeman & Persinger, 1996;Meli & Persinger, 2009). Research using the Koren helmet and similar devices has shown that expo-sure to purposefully constructed weak and complex magnetic fields (in contrast to exposure to sham magnetic fields) results in increased sensedpresence experiences and other perceptual and neurophysiological alterations (Persinger, et al, 1994(Persinger, et al, , 2000Roll, et al, 2002;Hill & Persinger, 2003;Booth, et al, 2005;Meli & Persinger, 2009).…”

“…Persinger and colleagues' experimental research on magnetic field exposure has often been conducted using a device of their own design (often referred to as the "Koren" helmet), which consists of eight magneticfield producing solenoids attached to a motorcycle helmet (Persinger, et al, 1994Freeman & Persinger, 1996;Meli & Persinger, 2009). Research using the Koren helmet and similar devices has shown that expo-sure to purposefully constructed weak and complex magnetic fields (in contrast to exposure to sham magnetic fields) results in increased sensedpresence experiences and other perceptual and neurophysiological alterations (Persinger, et al, 1994(Persinger, et al, , 2000Roll, et al, 2002;Hill & Persinger, 2003;Booth, et al, 2005;Meli & Persinger, 2009). Other research investigating weak and complex magnetic fields has also demonstrated that designed magnetic fields alter multiple neurobiological processes in both humans and other animals (Freeman & Persinger, 1996;Thomas, Kavaliers, Prato, & Ossenkopp, 1997a, 1997b, 1998Stewart & Persinger, 2000;Thomas, White, Drost, Cook, & Prato, 2001;Cook, Thomas, & Prato, 2004;Martin, Koren, & Persinger, 2004;Cook, Thomas, Keenliside, & Prato, 2005;Whissell & Persinger, 2007;Cook, Saucier, Thomas, & Prato, 2009;Mach & Persinger, 2009;Whissell, Tsang, Mulligan, & Persinger, 2009).…”