Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Mobile phone effects on children's event-related oscillatory EEG during an auditory memory task med./bio.

Published in: Int J Radiat Biol 2006; 82 (6): 443-450

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on the 1 - 20 Hz event-related brain oscillatory EEG responses in children performing an auditory memory task.

Background/further details

The stimuli were 8 acoustically presented Finnish nouns.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 902 MHz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: continuous for 30 min
  • power: 0.25 W mean
  • SAR: 1.4 W/kg average over mass (1 g)
  • SAR: 1.98 W/kg peak value

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 902 MHz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 30 min
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Pulse width 0.577 ms
Repetition frequency 217 Hz
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Distance between exposed object and exposure source 20 mm
Setup A standard GSM phone was mounted to the participant's head over the left posterior temporal region, comparable to normal use, with the antenna located about 20 mm from the head. The phone's loudspeaker was removed and the battery was replaced with a quieter one to prevent acoustic cues about the state of the phone.
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info Each EEG recording was subdivided into two 30-min segments, with the mobile phone turned on or off in a double-blind, counterbalanced protocol. The phone's condition was set by software on a computer via a cable disconnected before mounting.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
power 0.25 W mean - - -
SAR 1.4 W/kg average over mass measured 1 g -
SAR 1.98 W/kg peak value measured - -

Reference articles

  • Haarala C et al. (2005): Electromagnetic field emitted by 902 MHz mobile phones shows no effects on children's cognitive function

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

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

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The data indicate that electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones have effects on brain oscillatory responses in children in the approximately 4 - 8 Hz and approximately 15 Hz EEG frequencies during cognitive processing.
The results do not allow any conclusions concerning the possible effects of long-term mobile phone use on cognition or health. The physiological mechanism underlying these effects on brain oscillatory responses remain unclear.

Study character:

Study funded by

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