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Acute effects of the electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phones on attention in emergency physicians.

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Altuntas G, Sadoglu D, Ardic S, Yilmaz H, Imamoglu M, Turedi S. · 2017

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Cell phone radiation temporarily improved doctors' selective attention in this small study, suggesting acute EMF effects on cognition are complex.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed 30 emergency physicians to cell phone radiation (900-1800 MHz) for 15 minutes and tested their attention and concentration using standardized cognitive tests. Surprisingly, doctors exposed to the radiation actually performed better on selective attention tasks compared to those holding phones that were turned off. The study suggests short-term cell phone radiation exposure may temporarily enhance certain cognitive functions rather than impair them.

Why This Matters

This study presents an intriguing finding that challenges common assumptions about EMF's immediate cognitive effects. The researchers found that 15 minutes of cell phone radiation exposure at typical frequencies (900-1800 MHz) actually improved selective attention performance in emergency physicians. However, we should interpret these results cautiously. The study involved only 30 participants and measured acute effects over a very short timeframe. What this means for you is that the immediate cognitive impacts of cell phone use may be more complex than simple impairment. The reality is that short-term exposure might produce different effects than chronic, long-term exposure patterns that most of us experience daily. While this research doesn't negate concerns about prolonged EMF exposure, it does highlight how much we still don't understand about the brain's response to electromagnetic fields.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 1.80 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 1.80 GHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 900-1800MHz Duration: 15 min

Study Details

The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of the electromagnetic waves (EMW) emitted by mobile phones on attention in emergency physicians.

This single-center, prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical study was performed among emerg...

Difference between initial and final d2 test in total performance (TN-E, p=0.319), in total number o...

According to our study findings, the EMW emitted by mobile phones has no deleterious effect on the attention and concentration levels of emergency physicians, and even has a positive impact on selective attention levels.

Cite This Study
Altuntas G, Sadoglu D, Ardic S, Yilmaz H, Imamoglu M, Turedi S. (2017). Acute effects of the electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phones on attention in emergency physicians. Am J Emerg Med. 2017 Nov 13. pii: S0735-6757(17)30940-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2017.11.031.
Show BibTeX
@article{g_2017_acute_effects_of_the_1830,
  author = {Altuntas G and Sadoglu D and Ardic S and Yilmaz H and Imamoglu M and Turedi S.},
  title = {Acute effects of the electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phones on attention in emergency physicians.},
  year = {2017},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29157789/},
}
PubMed: 29157789

Cited By (2 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2017 study found emergency physicians exposed to 900-1800 MHz cell phone radiation for 15 minutes actually performed better on selective attention tasks than those with phones turned off. The radiation appeared to temporarily enhance certain cognitive functions rather than impair them.
Research on 30 emergency physicians showed those exposed to active cell phone radiation (900-1800 MHz) made fewer errors and showed better focus levels compared to doctors holding turned-off phones. The study suggests short-term exposure may enhance concentration.
Emergency physicians exposed to 15 minutes of cell phone radiation showed significantly improved selective attention, missing fewer figures and making fewer incorrect marks on cognitive tests. The 900-1800 MHz frequencies appeared to temporarily boost performance rather than harm it.
A controlled study found emergency doctors exposed to this frequency range for 15 minutes demonstrated better selective attention and focus levels than controls. The researchers concluded the electromagnetic waves had positive rather than negative effects on concentration.
Yes, a 2017 study found emergency doctors holding active phones (900-1800 MHz) for 15 minutes performed significantly better on attention tests, with fewer missed items and better focus scores compared to those with inactive phones nearby.