Medical/biological study (experimental study)

The effect of GSM-like ELF radiation on the alpha band of the human resting EEG med./bio.

By: Perentos N, Croft RJ, McKenzie RJ, Cvetkovic D, Cosic I

Published in: 2008 30th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, Vancouver, BC, Canada. IEEE, 2008: pp. 5680-5683; ISBN 978-1-4244-1814-5

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Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the influence of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (emitted by GSM-DTX mobile phones) on human resting EEG.

Background/further details

72 healthy volunteers (35 females) were examined under: 1) sham exposure, 2) continuous radiofrequency exposure, 3) pulsed radiofrequency exposure and 4) pure extremely low frequency electromagnetic exposure. Partcipants attended a two hour recording session which included four 30 minutes intervals (four minutes break in between) where the order of exposure was counter balanced. In each 30 minutes interval, the first five minutes served as baseline, followed by 20 minutes exposure and five minutes post exposure period.

Endpoint

effects on the neurological system: resting EEG

Exposure

- mobile communications
- digital mobile phone
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: RF (≥ 10 MHz) Exposure duration: continuous for 20 min continuous RF	-
Exposure 2: RF (≥ 10 MHz) Exposure duration: continuous for 20 min pulsed RF	-
Exposure 3: 2–217 Hz Exposure duration: continuous for 20 min	magnetic flux density: 25 µT

General information

participants were exposed in 4 times 20 min sessions with a 10 min break between exposures; exposures were in random order: i) continuous RF ii) pulsed RF iii) ELF iv) sham

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	RF (≥ 10 MHz)
Type	electromagnetic field
Waveform	unspecified
Exposure duration	continuous for 20 min
Additional info	continuous RF

Exposure setup

Exposure source	specially constructed mobile phone handset
Setup	exposure device placed inside a Nokia 3110 mobile phone housing which was held in standard phoning position by a specially designed cradle
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

No parameters are specified for this exposure.

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Frequency	RF (≥ 10 MHz)
Type	electromagnetic field
Waveform	pulsed
Exposure duration	continuous for 20 min
Additional info	pulsed RF

Exposure setup

Exposure source	same setup as exposure 1
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

No parameters are specified for this exposure.

Exposure 3

Main characteristics

Frequency	2–217 Hz
Type	magnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 20 min
Additional info	simulation of the DTX frame structure

Exposure setup

Exposure source	same setup as exposure 1 additional wire loop of 9 mm radius inside the exposure device
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
magnetic flux density	25 µT	-	-	-	-

Exposed system:

human
partial body: right ear

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

effects on the neurological system: resting EEG, especially alpha wave frequency band

Investigated system:

investigation on living organism

Investigated organ system:

brain/CNS

Time of investigation:

before exposure
during exposure
after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

A decrease in the alpha wave frequency band was observed during the 20 minutes of the extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure in the exposed hemisphere only.
The results suggest that extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields as emitted from GSM-DTX mobile phones may have an effect on the resting alpha wave frequency band of the human EEG.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study
double-blind study, cross-over study

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

Smitha CK et al. (2015): Analysis of fractal dimension of EEG signals under mobile phone radiation
Roggeveen S et al. (2015): EEG changes due to experimentally induced 3G mobile phone radiation
Smitha CK et al. (2013): Effect of Mobile Phone Radiation on EEG
Perentos N et al. (2013): The alpha band of the resting electroencephalogram under pulsed and continuous radio frequency exposures
Legros A et al. (2012): Neurophysiological and behavioral effects of a 60 Hz, 1,800 µT magnetic field in humans
Croft RJ et al. (2010): Effects of 2G and 3G mobile phones on human alpha rhythms: Resting EEG in adolescents, young adults, and the elderly
Vecchio F et al. (2010): Mobile phone emission modulates inter-hemispheric functional coupling of EEG alpha rhythms in elderly compared to young subjects
Suhhova A et al. (2009): Effect of modulated microwave radiation on human EEG asymmetry
Hinrikus H et al. (2009): Effect of modulated at different low frequencies microwave radiation on human EEG
Lipping T et al. (2009): Using the nonlinear control of anesthesia-induced hypersensitivity of EEG at burst suppression level to test the effects of radiofrequency radiation on brain function
Cook CM et al. (2009): Changes in human EEG alpha activity following exposure to two different pulsed magnetic field sequences
Hinrikus H et al. (2008): Effect of low frequency modulated microwave exposure on human EEG: Individual sensitivity
Hinrikus H et al. (2008): Effect of 7, 14 and 21 Hz modulated 450 MHz microwave radiation on human electroencephalographic rhythms
Croft RJ et al. (2008): The effect of mobile phone electromagnetic fields on the alpha rhythm of human electroencephalogram
Perentos N et al. (2007): Comparison of the effects of continuous and pulsed mobile phone like RF exposure on the human EEG
Vecchio F et al. (2007): Mobile phone emission modulates interhemispheric functional coupling of EEG alpha rhythms
Hinrichs H et al. (2006): High Frequency GSM-1800 Fields with Various Modulations and Field Strengths: No Short Term Effect on Human Awake EEG
Cook CM et al. (2005): Resting EEG effects during exposure to a pulsed ELF magnetic field
Curcio G et al. (2005): Is the brain influenced by a phone call? An EEG study of resting wakefulness
Cook CM et al. (2004): Resting EEG is affected by exposure to a pulsed ELF magnetic field

The effect of GSM-like ELF radiation on the alpha band of the human resting EEG med./bio.

Aim of study (acc. to author)

Background/further details

Endpoint

Exposure

General information

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Exposure setup

Parameters

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Exposure setup

Parameters

Exposure 3

Main characteristics

Exposure setup

Parameters

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Study funded by

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