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Pulsed radio-frequency electromagnetic fields: dose-dependent effects on sleep, the sleep EEG and cognitive performance.

Journal of sleep research · 2007 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 5050

Sleep architecture was not affected by exposure. Sleep EEG analysis showed a dose-dependent increase in power in the spindle frequency range during non-REM sleep. Reaction speed decelerated with increasing field intensity in the 1-back task, while accuracy in…

Study snapshot

PublicationJournal of sleep research · 2007
Study typerandomized_trial
Reported directionMixed
Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

To establish a dose-response relationship between the strength of electromagnetic fields (EMF) and previously reported effects on the brain, we investigated the influence of EMF exposure by varying the signal intensity in three experimental sessions. The head of 15 healthy male subjects was unilaterally exposed for 30 min prior to sleep to a pulse-modulated EMF (GSM handset like signal) with a 10 g-averaged peak spatial specific absorption rate of (1) 0.2 W kg(-1), (2) 5 W kg(-1), or (3) sham exposed in a double-blind, crossover design. During exposure, subjects performed two series of three computerized cognitive tasks, each presented in a fixed order [simple reaction time task, two-choice reaction time task (CRT), 1-, 2-, 3-back task]. Immediately after exposure, night-time sleep was polysomnographically recorded for 8 h. Sleep architecture was not affected by EMF exposure. Analysis of the sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) revealed a dose-dependent increase of power in the spindle frequency range in non-REM sleep. Reaction speed decelerated with increasing field intensity in the 1-back task, while accuracy in the CRT and N-back task were not affected in a dose-dependent manner. In summary, this study reveals first indications of a dose-response relationship between EMF field intensity and its effects on brain physiology as demonstrated by changes in the sleep EEG and in cognitive performance.

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 typerandomized_trial
Effect directionmixed
Population15 healthy male subjects
Sample size15
ExposureRF · 30 min prior to sleep (per session)
Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Sleep architecture was not affected by exposure. Sleep EEG analysis showed a dose-dependent increase in power in the spindle frequency range during non-REM sleep. Reaction speed decelerated with increasing field intensity in the 1-back task, while accuracy in the CRT and N-back task was not affected in a dose-dependent manner.

Outcomes measured

  • Sleep architecture (polysomnography)
  • Sleep EEG power (spindle frequency range) in non-REM sleep
  • Cognitive performance (reaction time; CRT; N-back tasks)

Limitations

  • Small sample size (15 subjects)
  • Only healthy male subjects
  • Exposure described as a GSM handset-like signal but frequency not specified in abstract
  • Short exposure duration (30 min)
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "randomized_trial",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "30 min prior to sleep (per session)"
  },
  "population": "15 healthy male subjects",
  "sample_size": 15,
  "outcomes": [
    "Sleep architecture (polysomnography)",
    "Sleep EEG power (spindle frequency range) in non-REM sleep",
    "Cognitive performance (reaction time; CRT; N-back tasks)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Sleep architecture was not affected by exposure. Sleep EEG analysis showed a dose-dependent increase in power in the spindle frequency range during non-REM sleep. Reaction speed decelerated with increasing field intensity in the 1-back task, while accuracy in the CRT and N-back task was not affected in a dose-dependent manner.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Small sample size (15 subjects)",
    "Only healthy male subjects",
    "Exposure described as a GSM handset-like signal but frequency not specified in abstract",
    "Short exposure duration (30 min)"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "radio-frequency electromagnetic fields",
    "pulsed",
    "GSM handset-like signal",
    "specific absorption rate",
    "dose-response",
    "sleep",
    "polysomnography",
    "sleep EEG",
    "spindle frequency",
    "non-REM",
    "cognitive performance",
    "reaction time",
    "N-back",
    "double-blind",
    "crossover"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "mobile-phones",
      "weight": 0.86,
      "reason": "Exposure was a pulse-modulated GSM handset-like signal applied to the head with SAR levels."
    },
    {
      "slug": "sleep-eeg",
      "weight": 0.8,
      "reason": "Primary outcomes included polysomnography and sleep EEG spindle-frequency power changes."
    }
  ]
}
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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: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2007.00603.x
PubMed: 17716273

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