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Acute mobile phones exposure affects frontal cortex hemodynamics as evidenced by functional near-infrared spectroscopy

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Curcio G, Ferrara M, Limongi T, Tempesta D, Di Sante G, De Gennaro L, Quaresima V, Ferrari M · 2009

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A small study found a slight linear increase in deoxygenated hemoglobin in the frontal cortex during real GSM mobile phone exposure, while no other measured variables changed.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure frontal cortex oxygenation in eleven healthy volunteers during a 40-minute exposure to a GSM mobile phone signal. The study found a slight linear increase in deoxygenated hemoglobin over time during real exposure, but no other measure showed GSM exposure-dependent changes. The researchers noted that their results should be confirmed on a larger sample size and using a multichannel instrument that allows the investigation of a wider portion of the frontal cortex.

Why This Matters

Each volunteer took part in two sessions, one with real GSM exposure and one with sham (inactive) exposure, following a crossover, randomized, double-blind paradigm. Each session lasted 60 minutes in total, broken into a 10-minute baseline, a 40-minute exposure period, and a 10-minute recovery phase. Alongside frontal hemodynamics, the researchers also assessed heart rate, objective and subjective vigilance, and self-evaluation of subjective symptoms. The only statistically significant finding was the linear rise in deoxygenated hemoglobin during real exposure, a result the authors described as a slight influence. The researchers suggested that fNIRS is a convenient tool for safely and noninvasively investigating cortical activation in mobile phone exposure experimental settings.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.5 W/kg
Source/Device
902.40 GSM Mobile Phone
Exposure Duration
40 mins

Exposure Context

This study used 0.5 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 ContextStudy Exposure Level in ContextThis study: 0.5 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern range (Building Biology)FCC limit is 3 times higher than this level

Study Details

This study aimed to evaluate by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), the effects induced by an acute exposure (40 mins) to a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) signal emitted by a mobile phone (MP) on the oxygenation of the frontal cortex.

Eleven healthy volunteers underwent two sessions (Real and Sham exposure) after a crossover, randomi...

The fNIRS results showed a slight influence of the GSM signal on frontal cortex, with a linear incre...

Given the short-term effects observed in this study, the results should be confirmed on a larger sample size and using a multichannel instrument that allows the investigation of a wider portion of the frontal cortex.

Cite This Study
Curcio G, Ferrara M, Limongi T, Tempesta D, Di Sante G, De Gennaro L, Quaresima V, Ferrari M (2009). Acute mobile phones exposure affects frontal cortex hemodynamics as evidenced by functional near-infrared spectroscopy J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 29(5):903-910, 2009.
Show BibTeX
@article{g_2009_acute_mobile_phones_exposure_83,
  author = {Curcio G and Ferrara M and Limongi T and Tempesta D and Di Sante G and De Gennaro L and Quaresima V and Ferrari M},
  title = {Acute mobile phones exposure affects frontal cortex hemodynamics as evidenced by functional near-infrared spectroscopy},
  year = {2009},
  doi = {10.1038/jcbfm.2009.14},
  url = {https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1038/jcbfm.2009.14},
}
DOI: 10.1038/jcbfm.2009.14

Cited By (24 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

Volunteers underwent both real and sham exposure sessions using a crossover, randomized, double-blind paradigm.
There was a linear increase in deoxygenated hemoglobin as a function of time during the real exposure condition.
No other measure showed any GSM exposure-dependent changes beyond the slight effect on deoxygenated hemoglobin.
The researchers stated that results should be confirmed on a larger sample size and using a multichannel instrument that allows the investigation of a wider portion of the frontal cortex.
The exposure period lasted 40 minutes, within a total session of 60 minutes that also included a 10-minute baseline and a 10-minute recovery phase.