Study type: Epidemiological study (observational study)

Mobile telephone use is associated with changes in cognitive function in young adolescents epidem.

Published in: Bioelectromagnetics 2009; 30 (8): 678-686

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The MoRPhEUS study was conducted in Australia to examine the association of mobile telephone use and the cognitive function in young adolescents.

Further details

Cognitive function was assessed by a computerized psychometric CogHealth test and the Stroop test.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Exposure

Assessment

Population

Study size

Type Value
Total 479
Participants 317
Participation rate 66 %
Statistical analysis method: (adjustment: )

Results (acc. to author)

299 children (94 %) had used a mobile phone and 243 (77 %) had their own phones.
Students who reported more voice calls per week demonstrated shorter response times for the simple and associative learning tasks but less accurate responses to the working memory and associative learning tasks. Signal detection and movement monitoring/estimation were not related to the total number of calls per week. The completion time for Stroop test was longer for those students reporting more mobile phone calls. The findings were similar for total SMS messages per weak suggesting these cognitive changes were unlikely due to radiofrequency exposure.
The authors concluded that mobile phone use was associated with faster and less accurate responding to higher level cognitive tasks. Theses behaviours may have been learned through frequent use of a mobile phone.

Study funded by

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