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Effects of radiofrequency radiation emitted by cellular telephones on the cognitive functions of humans.

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Eliyahu I, Luria R, Hareuveny R, Margaliot M, Meiran N, Shani G. · 2006

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Cell phone radiation slowed cognitive responses in the specific brain region closest to the phone during two-hour exposure sessions.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Israeli researchers exposed 36 healthy men to cell phone radiation at 890 MHz for two hours while they performed cognitive tasks designed to test different brain regions. They found that radiation exposure to the left side of the brain significantly slowed reaction times for left-hand responses, particularly during the second hour of exposure. This suggests that cell phone radiation can impair cognitive performance in the specific brain areas closest to the phone.

Why This Matters

This study provides compelling evidence that cell phone radiation affects cognitive function in a location-specific manner. The fact that left-brain exposure specifically slowed left-hand responses suggests the radiation is directly interfering with neural processing in the exposed region, not just causing general fatigue or distraction. What makes this research particularly concerning is that the exposure levels exceeded typical cell phone use, yet still produced measurable cognitive impairment within just two hours. The reality is that many people hold phones to their heads for extended periods daily, potentially experiencing similar localized brain effects. This adds to the growing body of evidence showing that EMF exposure can alter brain function even at levels considered 'safe' by current standards.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 890 MHz Duration: Two sections, of 1 h each, with a 5 min break in between

Study Details

The present study examined the effects of exposure to Electromagnetic Radiation emitted by a standard GSM phone at 890 MHz on human cognitive functions. This study attempted to establish a connection between the exposure of a specific area of the brain and the cognitive functions associated with that area.

A total of 36 healthy right-handed male subjects performed four distinct cognitive tasks: spatial it...

The results indicated that the exposure of the left side of the brain slows down the left-hand respo...

Cite This Study
Eliyahu I, Luria R, Hareuveny R, Margaliot M, Meiran N, Shani G. (2006). Effects of radiofrequency radiation emitted by cellular telephones on the cognitive functions of humans. Bioelectromagnetics.27(2):119-126, 2006.
Show BibTeX
@article{i_2006_effects_of_radiofrequency_radiation_2056,
  author = {Eliyahu I and Luria R and Hareuveny R and Margaliot M and Meiran N and Shani G.},
  title = {Effects of radiofrequency radiation emitted by cellular telephones on the cognitive functions of humans.},
  year = {2006},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16304688/},
}

Quick Questions About This Study

Israeli researchers exposed 36 healthy men to cell phone radiation at 890 MHz for two hours while they performed cognitive tasks designed to test different brain regions. They found that radiation exposure to the left side of the brain significantly slowed reaction times for left-hand responses, particularly during the second hour of exposure. This suggests that cell phone radiation can impair cognitive performance in the specific brain areas closest to the phone.