Effects of geomagnetic activity and atmospheric power variations on quantitative measures of brain activity: Replication of the Azerbaijani studies

This study replicates and extends the observations by Babayev and Allahveriyeva that changes in right hemispheric electroencephalographic activity are correlated with increases in geomagnetic activity. During the geomagnetically quiet interface between solar cycle 23 and 24 quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) measurements were completed for normal young adults in three separate experiments involving about 120 samples over 1.5 years. The most consistent, moderate strength correlations occurred for the changes in power within the gamma and theta ranges over the right frontal lobe. Real-time measures of atmospheric power obtained from polar orbiting satellites showed similar effects. The preferential involvement of the right frontal lobe and the regions subject to its inhibition with environmental energetic changes are consistent with the behavioural correlations historically associated with these conditions. They include increased incidence of emotional lability, erroneous reconstruction of experiences, social confrontations, and unusual perceptions.