Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Is the brain influenced by a phone call? An EEG study of resting wakefulness med./bio.

Published in: Neurosci Res 2005; 53 (3): 265-270

Aim of study (acc. to author)

1) To test whether a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) signal affects human resting EEG and 2) to test when this influence is most evident on EEG spectral power, i.e. whether this is restricted to the period of real exposure or if it continues after exposure cessation.

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
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Distance between exposed object and exposure source 1.5 cm
Setup A helmet was used to hold the phone in the normal position for use at 1.5 cm from the left ear.
Additional info Subjects were submitted to three different conditions in double-blind random order: baseline, real exposure, and sham exposure, with at least 48 h between sessions. They wore the helmet in all sessions, but during baseline, there was no phone, and during sham exposure, the phone was switched off. Subjects did not hear any voices or sounds from the phone, and white noise was delivered by means of a loudspeaker during all sessions.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
power 2 W peak value - - -
power 0.25 W mean - - -
SAR 0.5 W/kg maximum measured - -

Reference articles

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

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

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The data show that, under real exposure as compared to baseline and sham exposure conditions, EEG spectral power was influenced in some bins of the alpha wave band. This effect was greater when the electromagnetic field was on during the EEG recording session than before it.
The present findings lend further support to the idea that pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic fields can affect normal brain functioning, also if no conclusions can be drawn about the possible health effects.

Study character:

Study funded by

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