Qs people asked me on science and my replies to them - Part 252

Q: Is gamma brain wave related to gamma ray radiation? And how?

Krishna: Electromagnetic waves  and brain waves are all forms of electromagnetic radiation — waves of energy that travel at the speed of light. The difference between brain waves, radio waves, and other electromagnetic waves (such as visible light, X-rays, and Gamma rays) lies in their frequency — that is, how often the waves peak and trough in a second. 

Radio waves, which include radio and other wireless transmission signals, as well as other natural signals in the same frequency, peak and trough at between 50 and 1000 megahertz — that’s between 50 million and one billion oscillations per second.(1)

The human brain also emits waves, like when a person focuses her attention or remembers something.  This activity fires thousands of neurons simultaneously at the same frequency generating a wave — but at a rate closer to 10 to 100 cycles per second.since their frequencies are so wildly different, brain waves don’t interfere with radio waves. Even if that was the case, brain waves are so weak, they are hardly measurable at all (1).

Gamma rays fall in the range of the EM spectrum above soft X-rays. Gamma rays have frequencies greater than about 10^19 cycles per second, or hertz (Hz), and wavelengths of less than 100 picometers (pm), or 4 x 10^9 inches. (A picometer is one-trillionth of a meter.)Gamma rays are produced primarily by four different nuclear reactions: fusion, fission, alpha decay and gamma decay (2).

Your brain is made up of cells called neurons. When your brain performs neurological functions, neurons transmit information to each other via electrical signals. These signals produce rhythms or wave patterns, which are known as brain waves.‌ Brain waves are very weak but can be measured using electroencephalography, or EEG, and magnetoencephalography, or MEG (2). These techniques involve the attachment of electrodes or sensors to your head for detecting your brain’s activity.‌Using EEG, brain waves are measured in cycles per second or Hertz based on their frequency or speed. This suggests that your brain waves can be fast or slow.
When you are awake and alert, your brain is more active. This results in fast brain waves. If you are sleepy or bored, they may be slower. Accordingly, they have been differentiated into delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma waves. 
Gamma brain waves ‌ have the highest frequency among all brain waves. They are associated with high levels of thought and focus. Gamma waves are associated with higher brain functions like cognition and memory.

Brain waves: Art work by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa

Gamma rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, as are radio waves, infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays and microwaves.
Electromagnetic (EM) radiation is transmitted in waves or particles at different wavelengths and frequencies. This broad range of wavelengths is known as the electromagnetic spectrum. The spectrum is generally divided into seven regions in order of decreasing wavelength and increasing energy and frequency. The common designations are radio waves, microwaves, infrared (IR), visible light, ultraviolet (UV), X-rays and gamma rays.

A gamma ray, also known as gamma radiation (symbol γ or  ), is a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei. It consists of the shortest wavelength electromagnetic waves.  Radioactive decay results when an element changes to another element by virtue of changes within the atom's nucleus. These changes leave the nucleus in an excited state. The atom emits a gamma ray as it decays into the ground state.
Gamma rays are sometimes used to treat cancerous tumors in the body by damaging the DNA of the tumor cells. However, great care must be taken, because gamma-rays can also damage the DNA of surrounding healthy tissue cells.

Footnotes:

1.   https://engineering.mit.edu/engage/ask-an-engineer/can-brain-waves-...

2.   https://www.livescience.com/50215-gamma-rays.html