RF Safe

Mobile phone affects cerebral blood flow in humans.

Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism · 2006 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 5139

In a double-blind, counterbalanced PET study of 12 healthy male subjects performing a verbal working memory task, a commercial mobile phone in operation was associated with a local decrease in rCBF beneath the antenna in the inferior temporal cortex and an in…

Study snapshot

PublicationJournal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism · 2006
Study typerandomized_trial
Reported directionMixed
Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Mobile phones create a radio-frequency electromagnetic field (EMF) around them when in use, the effects of which on brain physiology in humans are not well known. We studied the effects of a commercial mobile phone on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in healthy humans using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Positron emission tomography data was acquired using a double-blind, counterbalanced study design with 12 male subjects performing a computer-controlled verbal working memory task (letter 1-back). Explorative and objective voxel-based statistical analysis revealed that a mobile phone in operation induces a local decrease in rCBF beneath the antenna in the inferior temporal cortex and an increase more distantly in the prefrontal cortex. Our results provide the first evidence, suggesting that the EMF emitted by a commercial mobile phone affects rCBF in humans. These results are consistent with the postulation that EMF induces changes in neuronal activity.

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
PopulationHealthy human males
Sample size12
ExposureRF
Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In a double-blind, counterbalanced PET study of 12 healthy male subjects performing a verbal working memory task, a commercial mobile phone in operation was associated with a local decrease in rCBF beneath the antenna in the inferior temporal cortex and an increase more distantly in the prefrontal cortex.

Outcomes measured

  • regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF)

Limitations

  • Small sample size (12 subjects)
  • Only male subjects
  • Explorative voxel-based statistical analysis (as described)
  • Frequency/SAR and exposure duration not reported in the abstract
View raw extracted JSON
{
  "study_type": "randomized_trial",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Healthy human males",
  "sample_size": 12,
  "outcomes": [
    "regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In a double-blind, counterbalanced PET study of 12 healthy male subjects performing a verbal working memory task, a commercial mobile phone in operation was associated with a local decrease in rCBF beneath the antenna in the inferior temporal cortex and an increase more distantly in the prefrontal cortex.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Small sample size (12 subjects)",
    "Only male subjects",
    "Explorative voxel-based statistical analysis (as described)",
    "Frequency/SAR and exposure duration not reported in the abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "mobile phone",
    "radio-frequency electromagnetic field",
    "RF EMF",
    "cerebral blood flow",
    "rCBF",
    "PET",
    "double-blind",
    "working memory",
    "inferior temporal cortex",
    "prefrontal cortex"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "mobile-phones-rf",
      "weight": 0.9,
      "reason": "Study tests effects of a commercial mobile phone RF-EMF on human brain physiology (rCBF) using PET."
    }
  ]
}
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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: 10.1038/sj.jcbfm.9600279
PubMed: 16495939

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