Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Scalp localization of human auditory cortical activity modified by GSM electromagnetic fields med./bio.

By: Maby E, Jeannes Rle B, Faucon G

Published in: Int J Radiat Biol 2006; 82 (7): 465-472

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To determine whether there is a localized effect of GSM microwaves by studying the auditory evoked potentials recorded at the scalp of nine healthy subjects and six epileptic patients.

Endpoint

effects on the neurological system: auditory evoked potentials

Exposure

- mobile communications
- digital mobile phone
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 900 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for a part of the session lasting about 500 s	power: 0.25 W mean (simulator-controlled) SAR: 1.4 W/kg average over mass (10 g)

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	900 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for a part of the session lasting about 500 s
Additional info	Wiart J, Chaillou S, Altman Z, Drago S. 1999. Calculation of the power deposited in tissues close to a handset antenna using a non-uniform FDTD. In: Bersani F, editor. Electricity and magnetism in biology and medicine: 2nd World Congress for electricity and magnetism in biology & medicine, Bologna, Italy, 8 - 13 June 1997. New York: Plenum Press.

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Duty cycle	12.5 %
Repetition frequency	216.7 Hz

Exposure setup

Exposure source	cellular phone helicoidal antenna
Chamber	The fully conscious subject was comfortably seated in a soundproofed Faraday screen room.
Setup	The phone was placed close to the right ear on the electrodes helmet using a plastic structure without metal parts.
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info	Each subject attended single-blind experimental and control sessions that took place over a period of several days. The experimental session consisted of two sequential recording phases, the first one without and the second one with maximum RF emission. The control session was also composed of the same two phases, but both of them without RF emission.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power	0.25 W	mean	cf. remarks	-	simulator-controlled
SAR	1.4 W/kg	average over mass	measured and calculated	10 g	-

Measurement and calculation details

The 3D digital dosimetry was estimated taking into account the individual brain morphological structures provided by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) [Wiart et al., 1999]. The combined experimental dosimetry computed on a phantom indicated that the SAR was not significantly modified by the electrodes and cables used to record the AEP, nor the circuit modifications made to the mobile phone.

Exposed system:

human
partial body: head (right ear)

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

effects on the neurological system: auditory evoked potentials (EEG; amplitude and latency of N100 and P200 waves; spectral correlation coefficients; support vector machine analysis); scalp topography of the different parameters

Investigated system:

investigation on living organism

Investigated organ system:

brain/CNS

Time of investigation:

before exposure
during exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The epileptic patients showed a lengthening of the scalp component N100 (100 ms latency) in the frontal area contralateral to the irradiation. For the healthy subjects, an amplitude increase of the P200 wave (200 ms latency) was identified in the frontal area.
The data indicate that radiofrequency fields emitted by mobile phones modify the auditory evoked potentials. Nevertheless, no direct link between these data and radiofrequency-induced damages in brain function was established.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study
blind study

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

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