• experimental
  
• epidemiological
  

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Medical/biological Study (observational study)

Neurobehavioral effects among inhabitants around mobile phone base stations. med./biol.

PubMed Entry

Journal web site

Aim of study (according to author)
To study the possible neurobehavioral deficits among inhabitants living nearby mobile phone base stations.
Background/further details:
85 inhabitants living nearby the mobile phone base station antenna (in Menoufiya governorate, Egypt) were investigated: 37 were living in a building under the antenna while 48 opposite the base station. A control group of 80 participants were matched with the exposure group for age, sex, occupation and educational level. None of the participants was informed about the purpose of the study (before the study).

Endpoint

• cognitive/behavioural endpoints: neurobehavioral effects

Exposure
General category: cell phone base station

Field characteristics	Parameters
RF exposure duration: repeated daily exposure for 8 or 15 h/day	power flux density: 0.0067 mW/cm² max value power flux density: 0.002 mW/cm² min value power flux density: 0.0001 mW/cm² (apartment below antenna 1)

Exposed system:
human
whole body exposure

Methods
Endpoint/Measurement parameters/Methodology

• cognitive/behavioural endpoints: neurobehavioral effects (different tests for visuomotor speed, problem solving, attention and memory)
• others: different questionnaires about personal, occupational, medical histories and neuropsychiatric complaints (such as e.g. headache, memory changes, tremors, depressive symptoms); clinical examination (general and neurological)

Main outcome of study (according to author)
The prevalence of neuropsychiatric complaints (headache, memory changes, dizziness, tremors, depressive symptoms, and sleep disturbance) was significantly higher among exposed inhabitants than controls. The neurobehavioral tests indicated that the exposed participants exhibited a significantly lower performance than controls in one of the tests of attention and auditory short-term memory.
The inhabitants opposite the base station exhibited a lower performance in the problem solving test than those under the base station.
All exposed inhabitants exhibited a better performance in the two tests of visuomotor speed and one test of attention than controls.

(Study character: medical/biological study, observational study, full/main study, cross-sectional study)

Study funded by

• not stated

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