Effects of a pulsed electromagnetic therapy on multiple sclerosis fatigue and quality of life: a double-blind, placebo controlled trial  (Altern Ther Health Med. 2003 Jul-Aug;9(4):38-48)

Lappin MS, Lawrie FW, Richards TL, Kramer ED. Energy Medicine Developments, (North America), Inc., Burke, Va., USA.

CONTEXT: There is a growing literature on the biological and clinical effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields. Some studies suggest that electromagnetic therapies may be useful in the treatment of chronic illnesses. This study is a follow-up to a placebo controlled pilot study in which multiple sclerosis (MS) patients exposed to weak, extremely low frequency pulsed electromagnetic fields showed significant improvements on a composite symptom measure. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a pulsed electromagnetic therapy on MS related fatigue, spasticity, bladder control, and overall quality of life. DESIGN: A multi-site, double-blind, placebo controlled, crossover trial. Each subject received 4 weeks of the active and placebo treatments separated by a 2-week washout period. SETTING: The University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle Wash, the Neurology Center of Fairfax in Fairfax, Va, and the headquarters of the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America in Cherry Hill, NJ. SUBJECTS: 117 patients with clinically definite MS. INTERVENTION: Daily exposure to a small, portable pulsing electromagnetic field generator. MAIN OUTCOME: The MS Quality of Life Inventory (MSQLI) was used to assess changes in fatigue, bladder control, spasticity, and a quality of life composite. RESULTS: Paired t-tests were used to assess treatment differences in the 117 subjects (81% of the initial sample) who completed both treatment sessions. Improvements in fatigue and overall quality of life were significantly greater on the active device. There were no treatment effects for bladder control and a disability composite, and mixed results for spasticity. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from this randomized, double-bind, placebo controlled trial is consistent with results from smaller studies suggesting that exposure to pulsing, weak electromagnetic fields can alleviate symptoms of MS. The clinical effects were small, however, and need to be replicated. Additional research is also needed to examine the possibility that ambulatory patients and patients taking interferons for their MS may be most responsive to this kind of treatment.

Double-blind study of pulsing magnetic field effects on multiple sclerosis (J Altern Complement Med. 1997 Spring; 3(1):21-9)

Richards TL, Lappin MS, Acosta-Urquidi J, Kraft GH, Heide AC, Lawrie FW, Merrill TE, Melton GB, Cunningham CA., Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.

We performed a double-blind study to measure the clinical and subclinical effects of an alternative medicine magnetic device on disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS). The MS patients were exposed to a magnetic pulsing device (Enermed) where the frequency of the magnetic pulse was in the 4-13 Hz range (50-100 milliGauss). A total of 30 MS patients wore the device on preselected sites between 10 and 24 hours a day for 2 months. Half of the patients (15) randomly received an Enermed device that was magnetically inactive and the other half received an active device. Each MS patient received a set of tests to evaluate MS disease status before and after wearing the Enermed device. The tests included (1) a clinical rating (Kurtzke, EDSS), (2) patient-reported performance scales, and (3) quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) during a language task. Although there was no significant change between pretreatment and posttreatment in the EDSS scale, there was a significant improvement in the performance scale (PS) combined rating for bladder control, cognitive function, fatigue level, mobility, spasticity, and vision (active group -3.83 +/- 1.08, p < 0.005; placebo group -0.17 +/- 1.07, change in PS scale). There was also a significant change between pretreatment and posttreatment in alpha EEG magnitude during the language task recorded at various electrode sites on the left side. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we have demonstrated a statistically significant effect of the Enermed magnetic pulsing device on patient performance scales and on alpha EEG magnitude during a language task.

I. Role of the pineal gland in multiple sclerosis: a hypothesis (J Altern Complement Med. 1997 Fall;3(3):267-90)

Sandyk R., Department of Neuroscience at the Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Services of Touro College, Dix Hills, NY, USA.

Despite intensive research over the past several decades, the etiology and pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) remain elusive. The last 20 years have seen only meager advances in the treatment of the disease in part because too much attention has been devoted to the process of demyelination and its relationship to the neurologic symptoms and recovery of the disease. A host of biological phenomena associated with the disease involving interactions among genetic, environmental, immunologic, and hormonal factors, cannot be explained on the basis of demyelination and, therefore, require refocusing attention on alternative explanations, one of which implicates the pineal gland as the pivotal mover of the disease. This review summarizes the evidence linking dysfunction of the pineal gland with the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and course of the disease. The pineal hypothesis of MS also provided the impetus for the development of a novel and highly effective therapeutic modality, one that involves the transcranial application of AC pulsed electromagnetic fields in the picotesla flux density.

Therapeutic effects of alternating current pulsed electromagnetic fields in multiple sclerosis. (J Altern Complement Med. 1997 Winter;3(4):365-86)

Sandyk R., Department of Neuroscience, Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Services of Touro College, Dix Hills, New York, USA.

Multiple sclerosis is the third most common cause of severe disability in patients between the ages of 15 and 50 years. The cause of the disease and its pathogenesis remain unknown. The last 20 years have seen only meager advances in the development of effective treatments for the disease. No specific treatment modality can cure the disease or alter its long-term course and eventual outcome. Moreover, there are no agents or treatments that will restore premorbid neuronal function. A host of biological phenomena associated with the disease involving interactions among genetic, environmental, immunologic, and hormonal factors, cannot be explained on the basis of demyelination alone and therefore require refocusing attention on alternative explanations, one of which implicates the pineal gland as pivotal. The pineal gland functions as a magnetoreceptor organ. This biological property of the gland provided the impetus for the development of a novel and highly effective therapeutic modality, which involves transcranial applications of alternating current (AC) pulsed electromagnetic fields in the picotesla flux density. This review summarizes recent clinical work on the effects of transcranially applied pulsed electromagnetic fields for the symptomatic treatment of the disease.

Successful treatment of multiple sclerosis with magnetic fields. (Int J Neurosci. 1992 Oct;66(3-4):237-50)

Sandyk R., NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories, Danbury, CT 06811.

The present communication concerns a 50 year-old woman with a 15 year history of chronic-progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) in whom extracranial application of picoTesla magnetic fields (MF) produced a dramatic and sustained improvement in disability. In contrast, administration of melatonin (3 mg, P.O.) produced in this patient a rapid exacerbation of disability which was reversed subsequently by treatment with MF. It is hypothesized that the therapeutic effects of picoTesla MF involve the mediation of the pineal gland which is known to act as a magnetosensor. The report demonstrates, for the first time, the remarkable efficacy of weak MF in the symptomatic treatment of chronic-progressive MS and underscores the pivotal role of the pineal gland in the pathophysiology of MS. If confirmed by a larger cohort of patients, extracranial application of picoTesla MF may prove as an extremely efficacious, nonpharmacological modality for the treatment of MS.

Pulsing Electromagnetic Field Therapy of Multiple Sclerosis by the Gyuling-Bordacs Device: Double-Blind, Cross-Over and Open Studies (J Bioelectricity 1987 6(1): 23-25)

A. Guseo, Central Hospital of Cty, Fejer Szekesfehevar, Hungary

The effect of pulsing electrotherapy on symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) is described. Double-blind and open trials on a total of 124 MS patients treated with the Guyling-Bordacs magnetotherapy device showed some improvement in 80% of the cases, in most cases pain and spasticity diminished; bladder incontinence was improved. The effects were similar to those found using functional electrical stimulation with implanted electrodes. The pulsing electromagnetic field therapy offers a new physiotherapy in the treatment and rehabilitation of MS patients.

Treatment of spasticity with repetitive magnetic stimulation; a double-blind placebo-controlled study (Mult Scler. 1996 Dec; 2(5):227-32)

Nielsen JF, Sinkjaer T, Jakobsen J., Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.

The effect of repetitive magnetic stimulation on spasticity was evaluated in 38 patients with multiple sclerosis in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. One group was treated with repetitive magnetic stimulation (n = 21) and the other group with sham stimulation (n = 17). Both groups were treated twice daily for 7 consecutive days. Primary end-points of the study were changes in the patients self-score, in clinical spasticity score, and in the stretch reflex threshold. The self-score of ease of daily day activities improved by 22% (P = 0.007) after treatment and by 29% (P = 0.004) after sham stimulation. The clinical spasticity score improved -3.3 +/- 4.7 arbitrary unit (AU) in treated patients and 0.7 +/- 2.5 AU in sham stimulation (P = 0.003). The stretch reflex threshold increased 4.3 +/- 7.5 deg/s in treated patients and -3.8 +/- 9.7 deg/s in sham stimulation (P = 0.001). The data presented in this study supports the idea that repetitive magnetic stimulation has an antispastic effect in multiple sclerosis. Future studies should clarify the optimal treatment regimen.