Moffat SD Mobile phone exposure and spatial memory.
Wiholm C, Lowden A, Kuster N, Hillert L, Arnetz BB, Akerstedt T · 2009
View Original AbstractMobile phone radiation at typical use levels produced opposite cognitive effects in sensitive versus non-sensitive users, highlighting individual variation in EMF responses.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed participants to mobile phone radiation at 1.4 W/kg (similar to real phone use) for 2.5 hours while they performed spatial memory tasks on a computer. Surprisingly, people who reported symptoms from phone use actually performed better during radiation exposure, while those without symptoms showed no change. This unexpected finding challenges assumptions about how phone radiation affects brain function.
Why This Matters
This study reveals the complexity of EMF effects on brain function. The 1.4 W/kg exposure level matches what your brain experiences during typical mobile phone calls, making these findings directly relevant to daily phone use. What's particularly intriguing is the differential response between symptomatic and non-symptomatic users - those already experiencing EMF-related symptoms actually showed improved spatial memory during exposure. This paradoxical result suggests our understanding of how radiofrequency radiation affects cognitive function is far from complete. The science demonstrates that EMF exposure doesn't produce uniform effects across all individuals, and factors like pre-existing sensitivity may play crucial roles in determining biological responses.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 1.4 W/kg
- Source/Device
- 884 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- 2 1/2 hours
Exposure Context
This study used 1.4 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 3.5x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
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 Details
This study investigated the effects of a 2 1/2 h RF exposure (884 MHz) on spatial memory and learning, using a double-blind repeated measures design.
The exposure was designed to mimic that experienced during a real-life mobile phone conversation. Th...
Results revealed a main effect of RF exposure and a significant RF exposure by group effect on dista...
Until this new finding is further investigated, we can only speculate about the cause.
Show BibTeX
@article{c_2009_moffat_sd_mobile_phone_1430,
author = {Wiholm C and Lowden A and Kuster N and Hillert L and Arnetz BB and Akerstedt T},
title = {Moffat SD Mobile phone exposure and spatial memory.},
year = {2009},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18792947/},
}