Cichoń N et al. · 2017
Researchers studied whether extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields could help stroke patients recover by examining brain chemistry changes. They exposed 48 stroke patients to 40 Hz magnetic fields for 15 minutes daily during rehabilitation and found increased levels of nitric oxide (a brain chemical involved in healing) plus improved mental and daily functioning. This suggests that specific EMF exposures might actually support brain recovery after stroke.
Wang H et al. · 2017
Researchers exposed rats to microwave radiation at 2.856 GHz for six minutes daily over six weeks. Higher exposure levels caused lasting learning and memory problems, abnormal brain waves, and physical brain damage that persisted for months after exposure ended.
Kim JH, Yu DH, Huh YH, Lee EH, Kim HG, Kim HR. · 2017
Researchers exposed mice to cell phone-level radiation (835 MHz) for 5 hours daily over 12 weeks and found significant brain changes. The radiation damaged the protective coating around brain cells (called myelin) and caused hyperactive behavior in the mice. This suggests that prolonged exposure to radiofrequency radiation at levels similar to heavy cell phone use may harm brain function and behavior.
Yang L, Chen Q, Lv B, Wu T. · 2016
Researchers exposed people to electromagnetic fields from LTE cell phone technology (4G networks) and measured their brain activity using EEG. They found that LTE exposure reduced brain wave activity in the alpha and beta frequency bands, particularly in areas of the brain responsible for thinking and processing. This suggests that modern wireless technology can measurably alter normal brain function patterns.
Sato Y, Kiyohara K, Kojimahara N, Yamaguchi N. · 2016
Japanese researchers analyzed brain cancer rates among young adults from 1993 to 2010 to see if rising mobile phone use could explain increasing cancer incidence. While they found brain cancer rates did increase during this period (ranging from 2.7% to 12.3% annually depending on age and gender), the patterns didn't match what would be expected from mobile phone exposure. The study concluded that heavy mobile phone use cannot explain the overall increase in brain cancers among young Japanese adults.
Redmayne M et al. · 2016
Australian researchers followed primary school children to see if using mobile and cordless phones affected their thinking skills and memory. They found very little evidence that phone use impacted cognitive function, with only 5 out of 78 measured outcomes showing any differences between phone users and non-users. The study suggests that at typical usage levels for young children, these devices don't appear to significantly harm developing cognitive abilities.
Petitdant N et al. · 2016
French researchers exposed adolescent rats to radiofrequency radiation at levels similar to cell phone use (1.5 and 6 W/kg SAR) for 45 minutes daily over a month to see if it affected brain development, anxiety, or memory. They found no differences between exposed and unexposed rats, even in animals made more vulnerable through induced brain inflammation. The study suggests adolescent brains may not be as sensitive to RF radiation as some have theorized.
McNamee JP et al. · 2016
Canadian researchers exposed mice to 1.9 GHz radiofrequency radiation (similar to cell phone signals) for 4 hours daily over 5 days and examined gene activity in seven different brain regions. They found no consistent changes in gene expression at exposure levels of 0.2 or 1.4 W/kg, though they acknowledge their study may have missed very small changes below 1.5-fold. This suggests that short-term RF exposure at these levels doesn't significantly alter how genes function in the brain.
Calvente I et al. · 2016
Spanish researchers measured radiofrequency radiation around the homes of 123 ten-year-old boys and tested their cognitive abilities and behavior. While most measures showed no effects, boys living in areas with higher RF exposure (though still below safety guidelines) had lower verbal skills and higher rates of anxiety-related behaviors compared to those in lower exposure areas. The researchers cautioned that study limitations prevent drawing definitive conclusions.
Reale M et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed human brain cells to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (the type from power lines) for up to 48 hours to see if it would cause neurological damage. They found no significant harmful effects on the cells' ability to manage oxidative stress or inflammation, though there were minor changes in serotonin metabolism. The study suggests that ELF-EMF exposure at these levels is unlikely to contribute to neurodegenerative diseases.
Redmayne M et al. · 2016
Australian researchers studied 619 primary school children (ages 8-11) to see if using mobile phones and cordless phones affected their thinking abilities and reaction times. The children used phones very little (about 2-3 calls per week), and the study found almost no differences in cognitive performance between phone users and non-users. Only 5 out of 78 different measurements showed any statistical differences, suggesting phone use at these low levels doesn't meaningfully impact children's brain function.
Calvente I et al. · 2016
Spanish researchers measured radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure around the homes of 123 ten-year-old boys and tested their cognitive abilities and behavior. Boys living in areas with higher RF exposure (though still below safety guidelines) showed some concerning patterns including lower verbal skills and higher rates of anxiety-related problems. While the study found mostly no effects, the few significant associations raise questions about environmental RF exposure during critical brain development years.
Zhou Z, Shan J, Zu J, Chen Z, Ma W, Li L, Xu J. · 2016
Researchers exposed developing chick embryos to 900 MHz mobile phone radiation for 10 hours daily during incubation, then tested their social behaviors and brain development after hatching. The radiation-exposed chicks showed significantly impaired social behaviors - they were slower to join groups, less likely to stay with other chicks, and made weaker vocalizations. Brain scans revealed that their cerebellums (the brain region controlling movement and coordination) were smaller than normal.
Razavinasab M, Moazzami K, Shabani M. · 2016
Researchers exposed pregnant rats to 900 MHz cell phone radiation for 6 hours daily and then tested their offspring's brain function. The exposed offspring showed reduced brain cell activity in the hippocampus (the brain's memory center) and performed worse on learning and memory tests. This suggests that cell phone exposure during pregnancy may impair brain development in offspring.
Oster S et al. · 2016
German researchers developed a sophisticated laboratory system to expose developing rat brain neurons to 900 MHz radiofrequency radiation (similar to cell phone frequencies) for weeks at a time. The study focused on creating reliable equipment to test whether wireless radiation affects developing brain tissue, using exposure levels of 362 milliwatts per kilogram. While the paper describes the experimental setup in detail, it doesn't report specific biological effects, serving instead as a foundation for future research on how RF radiation might impact the developing nervous system.
Grell K et al. · 2016
Researchers analyzed 792 brain tumor patients from 13 countries to see if gliomas (a type of brain cancer) occurred more often on the side of the head where people held their cell phones. They found a statistically significant pattern: brain tumors were more likely to develop on the same side of the head where patients reported using their phones most frequently. This spatial relationship held true regardless of how much time people spent on calls, suggesting that location of exposure may be more important than duration.
Erdem Koç G et al. · 2016
Turkish researchers exposed pregnant rats to cell phone radiation (900 MHz) for one hour daily throughout pregnancy, then examined brain development in their male offspring. They found that prenatal radiation exposure significantly reduced the number of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus (a brain region critical for memory and learning). However, when pregnant rats received protective supplements like melatonin or omega-3 fatty acids alongside the radiation exposure, their offspring's brain development remained normal.
Chapman S, Azizi L, Luo Q, Sitas F. · 2016
Australian researchers analyzed 30 years of brain cancer data (1982-2012) to see if cancer rates increased after mobile phones were introduced in 1987. Despite mobile phone usage reaching 94% of the population by 2014, brain cancer rates remained stable in most age groups and were actually lower than what researchers expected if phones truly caused cancer. The only increase was in people over 70, but this trend began in 1982, before mobile phones existed.
Rostami A et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed male rats to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) at 3 Hz and 60 Hz for several days and measured effects on brain activity and behavior. They found that both frequencies significantly reduced the rats' movement and decreased the firing rate of neurons in the locus coeruleus, a brain region important for arousal and attention. The study also detected widespread changes in brain proteins, suggesting that ELF-EMF exposure can alter brain function at multiple biological levels.
Hidisoglu E et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed rats to cell phone-frequency radiation for 1 week versus 10 weeks. Short exposure improved brain function and antioxidant protection, while long exposure caused slower brain responses and oxidative damage. This shows EMF effects depend critically on exposure duration.
Erdem Koç G et al. · 2016
Pregnant rats exposed to cell phone-level radiation (900 MHz) for one hour daily produced offspring with fewer brain cells in the hippocampus, the memory center. However, melatonin and omega-3 supplements during pregnancy prevented this brain damage in the developing babies.
Yang L, Chen Q, Lv B, Wu T · 2016
Chinese researchers exposed people to LTE (4G) cell phone radiation at levels equivalent to maximum phone emissions and measured their brain activity using EEG. The radiation reduced brain wave power and disrupted communication between brain hemispheres in the alpha and beta frequency bands, which are associated with relaxed awareness and focused attention. These changes occurred in the frontal and temporal brain regions that handle executive function and memory processing.
Stasinopoulou M et al. · 2016
Researchers exposed pregnant rats to DECT phone base station radiation (the same frequency as cordless phones) for 12 hours daily during pregnancy and early life. They found increased heart rates in developing embryos, altered birth measurements in newborns, and significant brain cell loss in the hippocampus region of 22-day-old pups. These brain changes occurred whether the animals were exposed only before birth or both before and after birth.
Nirwane A, Sridhar V, Majumdar A · 2016
Researchers exposed zebrafish to cell phone radiation (GSM 900 MHz) for 14 days at human-equivalent levels. The fish developed increased anxiety, reduced social behavior, and impaired learning, plus brain oxidative stress indicating cellular damage. This suggests everyday cell phone radiation may affect brain function.
Bouji M, Lecomte A, Gamez C, Blazy K, Villégier AS. · 2016
Researchers exposed both young and elderly rats to cell phone radiation (900 MHz) for 45 minutes daily over one month to see if aging brains were more vulnerable to EMF effects. The study found that while elderly rats showed expected age-related brain problems, the radiation exposure didn't make these problems worse. Interestingly, both young and old rats exposed to radiation showed reduced anxiety-like behaviors.
