Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Mobile phone emission modulates interhemispheric functional coupling of EEG alpha rhythms med./bio.

Published in: Eur J Neurosci 2007; 25 (6): 1908-1913

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the hypothesis that electromagnetic fields from mobile phones affect inter-hemispheric synchronization of cerebral rhythms, an important physiological feature of information transfer into the brain.

Background/further details

10 in healthy subjects in awake resting conditions underwent two EEG recordings, separated by 1 week. Individual EEG rhythms of interest were delta waves (about 2-4 Hz), theta waves (about 4-6 Hz), alpha wave 1 (about 6-8 Hz), alpha wave 2 (about 8-10 Hz) and alpha wave 3 (about 10-12 Hz).
Functional coupling of cerebral rhythms roughly reflects operative binding between coupled brain regions and relative information transfer. Linear components of that coupling are modelled by the inter-hemispheric spectral coherence of EEG rhythms.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 902.4 MHz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: continuous for 45 min

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 902.4 MHz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 45 min
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Repetition frequency 217 Hz
Additional info

GSM

Exposure setup
Exposure source
Distance between exposed object and exposure source 4 cm
Setup The mobile phone was held by a modified helmet in the normal use position, 1.5 cm from the subject's left ear, with the antenna about 4 cm from the head in the parietotemporal area. A similar phone without battery was placed on the other side of the helmet in order to balance the weight and conceal the exposure side.
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info For sham exposure in one of the two sessions, both phones were without battery.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
power 2 W peak value - - -
power 0.25 W mean - - -

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Investigated organ system:
Time of investigation:
  • before exposure
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The data revealed that, compared to sham exposure, GSM stimulation modulated the inter-hemispheric coupling of frontal and temporal alpha wave rhythms.
The results indicate that prolonged mobile phone emission affects brain physiology, probably by the inter-hemispheric synchronization of signals.

Study character:

Study funded by

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