Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Short-term effects of GSM mobiles phones on spectral components of the human electroencephalogram med./bio.

Published in: 2006 International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, New York, NY, USA. IEEE, 2006: pp. 3751-3754; ISBN 978-1-4244-0032-4

Aim of study (acc. to author)

This in vivo study was performed to investigate whether GSM signals affect the electrical activity of the human brain.

Background/further details

Nine healthy subjects and six epileptic patients participated. Each participant was exposed and sham-exposed.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 900 MHz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: continuous for 250 s?
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Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 900 MHz
Type
Exposure duration continuous for 250 s?
Additional info GSM frequency range probably used
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Additional info

GSM

Exposure setup
Exposure source
Setup The EEG activity was recorded for 250 s per phase using a 32 electrode helmet.
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Additional info The experimental session consisted of two sequential recording phases: 1) no RF emission and 2) maximum power emission. The control session consisted of the same two phases but without emission in any phase.
Parameters

No parameters are specified for this exposure.

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Investigated organ system:

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Under radiofrequency irradiation the spectral arrangement of the EEG activity was altered for healthy subjects as well as epileptic patients. For the healthy subjects, a significant decrease of the EEG signal was observed for all frequency bands and more precisely on occipital electrodes for the alpha wave. For the epileptic patients, it was the opposite since the GSM exposure produced an increase of EEG signal energy in all frequency bands and without any local difference.
These results suggest that GSM mobile phones may have a biological effect on EEG signals.

Study character:

Study funded by

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