Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Acute mobile phone operation affects neural function in humans med./bio.

By: Croft RJ, Chandler JS, Burgess AP, Barry RJ, Williams JD, Clarke AR

Published in: Clin Neurophysiol 2002; 113 (10): 1623-1632

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Aim of study (acc. to author)

To test whether exposure to an active mobile phone affects EEG as a function of time.

Endpoint

effects on the neurological system: neural function/EEG

Exposure

- mobile communications
- GSM

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 900 MHz Modulation type: pulsed Exposure duration: continuous for 3 x 20 min	power: 4 mW mean (3-4 mW)

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	900 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 3 x 20 min

Modulation

Modulation type	pulsed
Pulse width	0.577 ms
Repetition frequency	217 Hz
Additional info	Spoken extracts from a radio play (not audible to the subject) were played to the sending phone via a CD player at approximately 80 dB SPL (peak level).

Exposure setup

Exposure source	cellular phone
Distance between exposed object and exposure source	5 cm
Setup	The mobile phone was positioned 5 cm radial to the subject's scalp midway between Oz and Pz, using a non-metallic external bracket. The phone was removed and switched on or off outside of the recording room before the start of each condition. The purported EMF attenuator (Q Link Ally) was positioned over the subject's chest (left sternum) using a comfortable chest-strap and was operated from a separate room.
Additional info	A 20 min series of tasks were performed 3 times, each with one of the 3 following (counterbalanced and single-blind) exposure conditions: exposure to an active mobile phone (MP) concurrent exposure to an active MP and a purported EMF attenuator both MP and EMF attenuator deactivated (control).

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power	4 mW	mean	estimated	-	3-4 mW

Additional parameter details

Actual emissions during the experiment were not measured.

Exposed system:

human
partial body: head

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

effects on the neurological system: EEG-changes
cognitive/behavioral endpoints: reaction time; accuracy

Investigated system:

investigation on living organism

Investigated organ system:

brain/CNS

Time of investigation:

during exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Exposure to an active mobile phone affects neural functions in humans, altering both resting EEG patterns and the evoked neural response to auditory stimuli, with a number of these changes occuring as a function of exposure duration.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Clarus Products International, LLC, USA

Replication studies

Hamblin DL et al. (2006): The sensitivity of human event-related potentials and reaction time to mobile phone emitted electromagnetic fields

Eggert T et al. (2015): Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) exposure and its impact on slow cortical potentials
Loughran SP et al. (2013): No increased sensitivity in brain activity of adolescents exposed to mobile phone-like emissions
Vecchio F et al. (2012): Mobile phone emission increases inter-hemispheric functional coupling of electroencephalographic alpha rhythms in epileptic patients
Vecchio F et al. (2012): Mobile phone emission modulates event-related desynchronization of alpha rhythms and cognitive-motor performance in healthy humans
Croft RJ et al. (2010): Effects of 2G and 3G mobile phones on human alpha rhythms: Resting EEG in adolescents, young adults, and the elderly
Vecchio F et al. (2010): Mobile phone emission modulates inter-hemispheric functional coupling of EEG alpha rhythms in elderly compared to young subjects
Nanou E et al. (2009): Influence of a 1,800 MHz electromagnetic field on the EEG energy
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Kleinlogel H et al. (2008): Effects of weak mobile phone - electromagnetic fields (GSM, UMTS) on event related potentials and cognitive functions
Croft RJ et al. (2008): The effect of mobile phone electromagnetic fields on the alpha rhythm of human electroencephalogram
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Krause CM et al. (2006): Mobile phone effects on children's event-related oscillatory EEG during an auditory memory task
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Esen F et al. (2006): Effect of electromagnetic fields emitted by cellular phones on the latency of evoked electrodermal activity
Yuasa K et al. (2006): Effects of thirty minutes mobile phone use on the human sensory cortex
Hamblin DL et al. (2006): The sensitivity of human event-related potentials and reaction time to mobile phone emitted electromagnetic fields
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