Technology and Neurology

The Critical Impact of EMF in Brain Function

Peter Sullivan, MS

©MAPS Spring 2026

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Technology and Neurology

• Background
• Screen Time
• Electromagnetic Fields (EMF)
• Practical & Clinical Application
• Q & A

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My Background

• Lived and worked in Silicon Valley
• Troubleshooter, engineer & UI designer
• Silicon Graphics, Excite, Interwoven & Netflix
• Left tech in 2005 to focus on family’s health
• I systematically looked at everything
• I assumed wireless was safe and well tested
• Technology exposures were one of the last things I looked at – but may have largest impact

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Background

• Social Media Addiction Lawsuits
• Over 40 of US States Attorney Generals
• Regulatory and Risk Mitigation Failures
• Environmental Health Trust v. FCC No. (2021)
• US policy on wireless technologies and public health protection (2025)
• AAP Guidelines for Media (2025)
• Building Biology Guidelines (2024)

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Screen Time Exposures

• Content
• Attention
• Scene Changes
• Dopamine (Reward/Addiction)
• Light
• Brightness
• Blue Light
• Circadian Rhythms
• Flicker/Refresh Rate
• Entrainment
• Fixed Focal Distance
• Sitting/Posture
• Tissue Heating
• Stress/ANS

• Wireless
• Wi-Fi
• Cellular
• Bluetooth
• Magnetic Fields
• Electric Fields
• Dirty Electricity
• Lack of Grounding

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Screen Time Research

• Chen YY, Yim H, Lee TH. Negative impact of daily screen use on inhibitory control network in preadolescence: A two-year follow-up study. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 2023 Apr 1;60:101218.
• Ra CK, Cho J, Stone MD, De La Cerda J, Goldenson NI, Moroney E, Tung I, Lee SS, Leventhal AM. Association of digital media use with subsequent symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among adolescents. Jama. 2018 Jul 17;320(3):255-63.
• Hutton JS, Dudley J, Horowitz-Kraus T, DeWitt T, Holland SK. Associations between screen-based media use and brain white matter integrity in preschool-aged children. JAMA pediatrics. 2020 Jan 1;174(1):e193869-.

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Victoria Dunckley, M.D. (2015)

• Electronic Screen Syndrome (ESS)
• Nervous system dysregulation
• Stimulation and sitting/inaction
• Undermining attention
• ASD kids are more vulnerable
• Screen Time Fasts (3-4 weeks)
• 80% of symptoms improve

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Screen Time: Key Biological Factors

• Blue light
• Oxidative stress
• At night - melatonin suppression
• Circadian rhythm disruption
• Autonomic nervous system dysregulation
• Sensitive populations (i.e. ASD) already have challenges in these key area.
• Excitation

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Hidden Exposures

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Dimitris Panagopoulos, Ph.D. (2025)

• A comprehensive mechanism of biological and health effects of anthropogenic extremely low frequency and wireless communication electromagnetic fields
• Irregular gating of Voltage-Gated Ion Channels (VGICs) in cell membranes by polarized, coherent, and low-frequency varying EMFs:
• Disrupts cellular ionic concentrations
• Increase of intracellular Calcium (Ca2+)
• Triggers over production of:
• Peroxinitrite ONOO−
• Hydroxyl radical (•OH)
• Lipid membrane oxidation
• Immune system impact (lymphocytes)
• DNA Damage (single and double strand breaks)
• A cascade of multiple other symptoms…

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Martin Pall, Ph.D.

• Pall ML. Microwave frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produce widespread neuropsychiatric effects including depression. Journal of chemical neuroanatomy. 2016 Sep 1;75:43-51.

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• Pall ML. Central Causation of Autism/ASDs via Excessive [Ca2+]i Impacting Six Mechanisms Controlling Synaptogenesis during the Perinatal Period: The Role of Electromagnetic Fields and Chemicals and the NO/ONOO (-) Cycle, as Well as Specific Mutations. Brain Sciences. 2024 Apr 30;14(5):454.
• Autism/ASDs are centrally caused by excessive intracellular calcium ([Ca²⁺]ᵢ) during the perinatal period, leading to disruption of synaptogenesis
• Environmental Factors: EMF and excitotoxic chemicals

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Wireless and Neurodevelopment

• Setia MS, Natesan R, Samant P, Mhapankar S, Kumar S, Singh IV, Nair A, Seth B. Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Emissions and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Infants: A Prospective Cohort Study. Cureus. 2025 Jul 10;17(7).�
• Cakir B, Tanaka Y, Choe MS, Kiral FR, Kim J, Micali N, Kang YJ, Dharmadhikari B, Patterson B, Yang WS, Cho Y. Radiofrequency regulates the BET-mediated pathways in radial glia differentiation in human cortical development. Cell Reports. 2025 Oct 28;44(10).�
• Current Research on Autism and Anthropogenic EMF - 2025

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NMDA Receptors

• Glutamate receptors
• Reward & addiction (MSG)
• 12 categories of excitotoxic chemicals

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Excess Calcium (Ca2+)

• False signaling (EMF)
• Peroxynitrite
• Oxidative damage (DNA, etc.)
• Excitotoxicity

Cell Membrane

• Lipid layer
• Plasmalogens
• Vibrational receptors

Cell Danger Response

• Polarized waveform (EMF)
• Lipid oxidation->MDA
• MDA->Microglial activation

Normal – Very Low Calcium (Ca2+)

• 10,000:1 ratio
• Calcium is an excite signal

Calcium Channels (L-VGCC)

• Voltage gated
• Genetics variations
• Tuned by metal ions (both good minerals and harmful toxins via MIDAS) and other factors

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Light Measurement

• Brightness
• Spectrum
• Flicker rate
• Exposure
• Duration
• Timing

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EMF Measurement

• Start with the Sleep Environment
• Magnetic Fields
• Electric Fields
• Wireless (Information Carrying Waves)
• Dirty Electricity
• Other areas where people spend significant time

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EMF Reduction in Clinical Practice

• Off and Away (Calming Protocol/Digital Bedtime)
• Shielding
• Filtering (dirty electricity)
• Grounding
• Depolarization
• Clinical Database
• Track with ATEC score or lab
• Retest 6 weeks after mitigation

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Q & A

• Wireless-Free Tent
• EMF Solutions
• References:

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