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Brain & Nervous System

Does exposure to environmental radiofrequency electromagnetic fields cause cognitive and behavioral effects in 10-year-old boys?

No Effects Found

Calvente I, Pérez-Lobato R, Núñez MI, Ramos R, Guxens M, Villalba J, Olea N, Fernández MF · 2016

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Boys exposed to higher environmental RF levels showed reduced verbal skills and increased anxiety symptoms, even at exposures below current safety limits.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Spanish researchers measured radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure around the homes of 123 ten-year-old boys and tested their cognitive abilities and behavior. Boys living in areas with higher RF exposure (though still below safety guidelines) showed some concerning patterns including lower verbal skills and higher rates of anxiety-related problems. While the study found mostly no effects, the few significant associations raise questions about environmental RF exposure during critical brain development years.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 100 kHz - 6 GHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 100 kHz - 6 GHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

The study examined exposure from: 100 kHz–6 GHz

Study Details

We aimed to explore the association of environmental radiofrequency-electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) exposure with neurobehavioral function of children

A subsample of 123 boys belonging to the Environment and Childhood cohort from Granada (Spain), recr...

Most of the cognitive and behavioral parameters did not show any effect, but children living in high...

Cite This Study
Calvente I, Pérez-Lobato R, Núñez MI, Ramos R, Guxens M, Villalba J, Olea N, Fernández MF (2016). Does exposure to environmental radiofrequency electromagnetic fields cause cognitive and behavioral effects in 10-year-old boys? Bioelectromagnetics. 37(1):25-36, 2016.
Show BibTeX
@article{i_2016_does_exposure_to_environmental_2739,
  author = {Calvente I and Pérez-Lobato R and Núñez MI and Ramos R and Guxens M and Villalba J and Olea N and Fernández MF},
  title = {Does exposure to environmental radiofrequency electromagnetic fields cause cognitive and behavioral effects in 10-year-old boys?},
  year = {2016},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.21951},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.21951},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.21951

Cited By (50 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2016 Spanish study found that 10-year-old boys living in areas with higher environmental RF exposure (100 kHz-6 GHz) had lower verbal expression and comprehension scores. However, most cognitive tests showed no effects, and researchers cautioned against definitive conclusions due to study limitations.
Research on 123 ten-year-old boys found those in higher environmental RF exposure areas showed increased anxiety-related problems, including obsessive-compulsive and post-traumatic stress symptoms. The 2016 study measured RF fields from 100 kHz to 6 GHz around children's homes.
A 2016 study measuring environmental RF fields (100 kHz-6 GHz) around homes found that boys with higher exposure had more internalizing problems and total behavioral issues. However, most behavioral parameters showed no effects, limiting firm conclusions about RF impact on development.
Spanish researchers found some concerning cognitive and behavioral effects in 10-year-old boys even when RF exposure levels remained below official safety guidelines. The 2016 study suggests current guidelines may not fully protect children during critical brain development periods.
The 2016 Spanish study found verbal expression and comprehension were the primary cognitive abilities affected in 10-year-old boys living in higher RF environments. Other cognitive functions like memory and attention showed no significant effects from environmental radiofrequency exposure.