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The alteration of spontaneous low frequency oscillations caused by acute electromagnetic fields exposure

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Lv B, Chen Z, Wu T, Shao Q, Yan D, Ma L, Lu K, Xie Y. · 2013

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Thirty minutes of LTE exposure at typical phone use levels measurably altered brain activity in multiple regions.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed 18 people to 4G cell phone signals for 30 minutes, then scanned their brains. The exposure reduced normal brain activity in areas controlling hearing, movement, and decision-making. This shows that brief wireless exposure can measurably change how your brain functions.

Why This Matters

This study provides direct evidence that the wireless signals powering our smartphones and tablets aren't as biologically inert as we've been told. The researchers used LTE signals at power levels (SAR values of 0.9 to 2.36 W/kg) that fall within current safety limits but are typical of what your brain experiences during a phone call. What makes this research particularly compelling is the rigorous methodology: double-blind, crossover design with brain imaging that can detect subtle changes in neural activity.

The reality is that your brain doesn't distinguish between a 'safe' level of RF exposure and a 'harmful' one based on regulatory standards. The science demonstrates that biological effects occur at exposure levels we encounter daily. While we don't yet know the long-term health implications of these brain activity changes, the evidence is clear that wireless radiation is bioactive. You don't have to wait for perfect certainty to take simple precautions like using speakerphone or keeping devices away from your head when possible.

Exposure Details

SAR
2.18,2.36,0.9,1.07 W/kg
Source/Device
2.573 GHz
Exposure Duration
continuous for 30 minutes

Exposure Context

This study used 2.18,2.36,0.9,1.07 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):

Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.

Where This Falls on the Concern Scale

Study Exposure Level in ContextA logarithmic scale showing exposure levels relative to Building Biology concern thresholds and regulatory limits.Study Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 2.18,2.36,0.9,1.07 W/kgExtreme Concern0.1 W/kgFCC Limit1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 2x higher than this exposure level

Study Details

The motivation of this study is to evaluate the possible alteration of regional resting state brain activity induced by the acute radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure (30 min) of Long Term Evolution (LTE) signal.

We designed a controllable near-field LTE RF-EMF exposure environment. Eighteen subjects participate...

We found the decreased ALFF value around in left superior temporal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus...

The study provided the evidences that 30 min LTE RF-EMF exposure modulated the spontaneous low frequency fluctuations in some brain regions.

Cite This Study
Lv B, Chen Z, Wu T, Shao Q, Yan D, Ma L, Lu K, Xie Y. (2013). The alteration of spontaneous low frequency oscillations caused by acute electromagnetic fields exposure Clin Neurophysiol. 2013 Sep 4; doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2013.07.018.
Show BibTeX
@article{b_2013_the_alteration_of_spontaneous_135,
  author = {Lv B and Chen Z and Wu T and Shao Q and Yan D and Ma L and Lu K and Xie Y.},
  title = {The alteration of spontaneous low frequency oscillations caused by acute electromagnetic fields exposure},
  year = {2013},
  
  url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1388245713009760},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Researchers exposed 18 people to 4G cell phone signals for 30 minutes, then scanned their brains. The exposure reduced normal brain activity in areas controlling hearing, movement, and decision-making. This shows that brief wireless exposure can measurably change how your brain functions.