No effects of mobile phone electromagnetic field on auditory brainstem response.

Bioelectromagnetics · 2010 · No effect · Low evidence

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No effectLow evidencePaper 4417

Study snapshot

PublicationBioelectromagnetics · 2010

Study typeother

Reported directionNo effect

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

The present study investigated the possible effects of the electromagnetic field (EMF) emitted by an ordinary GSM mobile phone (902.4 MHz pulsed at 217 Hz) on brainstem auditory processing. Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) were recorded in 17 healthy young adults, without a mobile phone at baseline, and then with a mobile phone on the ear under EMF-off and EMF-on conditions. The amplitudes, latencies, and interwave intervals of the main ABR components (waves I, III, V) were compared among the three conditions. ABR waveforms showed no significant differences due to exposure, suggesting that short-term exposure to mobile phone EMF did not affect the transmission of sensory stimuli from the cochlea up to the midbrain along the auditory nerve and brainstem auditory pathways.

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeother

Effect directionno_effect

Population17 healthy young adults

Sample size17

ExposureRF · 902.4 MHz · short-term

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In 17 healthy young adults, ABR measures (amplitudes, latencies, interwave intervals for waves I, III, V) showed no significant differences between baseline (no phone), phone on ear with EMF-off, and phone on ear with EMF-on (902.4 MHz, 217 Hz pulsed). The authors conclude that short-term GSM mobile phone EMF exposure did not affect brainstem auditory processing as assessed by ABR.

Outcomes measured

Auditory brainstem response (ABR) amplitudes (waves I, III, V)
ABR latencies (waves I, III, V)
ABR interwave intervals (waves I, III, V)

Limitations

Small sample size (n=17)
Exposure duration not quantified beyond 'short-term'
Only assessed acute effects on ABR; other auditory or neurological outcomes not addressed

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "other",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": 902.4,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "short-term"
  },
  "population": "17 healthy young adults",
  "sample_size": 17,
  "outcomes": [
    "Auditory brainstem response (ABR) amplitudes (waves I, III, V)",
    "ABR latencies (waves I, III, V)",
    "ABR interwave intervals (waves I, III, V)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In 17 healthy young adults, ABR measures (amplitudes, latencies, interwave intervals for waves I, III, V) showed no significant differences between baseline (no phone), phone on ear with EMF-off, and phone on ear with EMF-on (902.4 MHz, 217 Hz pulsed). The authors conclude that short-term GSM mobile phone EMF exposure did not affect brainstem auditory processing as assessed by ABR.",
  "effect_direction": "no_effect",
  "limitations": [
    "Small sample size (n=17)",
    "Exposure duration not quantified beyond 'short-term'",
    "Only assessed acute effects on ABR; other auditory or neurological outcomes not addressed"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "GSM",
    "mobile phone",
    "radiofrequency",
    "902.4 MHz",
    "217 Hz pulsed",
    "auditory brainstem response",
    "ABR",
    "brainstem auditory processing"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1002/bem.20526
PubMed: 19610044

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