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Psychophysiological tests and provocation of subjects with mobile phone related symptoms.

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Wilen J, Johansson A, Kalezic N, Lyskov E, Sandstrom M. · 2006

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People with mobile phone symptoms show measurable nervous system differences during mental tasks, regardless of actual radiation exposure.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Swedish researchers exposed 20 people who experience symptoms from mobile phones and 20 people without symptoms to 900 MHz cell phone radiation for 30 minutes at levels typical of phone use. While the radiation didn't cause immediate measurable changes in either group, the symptomatic individuals showed different nervous system patterns during cognitive tests, suggesting their autonomic nervous systems may function differently regardless of radiation exposure.

Why This Matters

This study provides important insights into electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), a condition affecting an estimated 3-5% of the population. The research demonstrates that people reporting mobile phone symptoms show measurable differences in their autonomic nervous system function, specifically a shift toward sympathetic dominance during mental tasks. This occurs whether or not they're actually exposed to RF radiation, suggesting the symptoms may stem from underlying nervous system sensitivity rather than direct electromagnetic effects. The exposure level used (1 W/kg SAR) represents typical mobile phone use, making these findings relevant to everyday scenarios. What this means for you: if you experience symptoms around wireless devices, your nervous system may indeed be responding differently to stress and cognitive demands, validating your experience even if the mechanism isn't direct electromagnetic sensitivity.

Exposure Details

SAR
1 W/kg
Source/Device
900 MHz
Exposure Duration
30 minutes

Exposure Context

This study used 1 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: 1 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern rangeFCC limit is 2x higher than this level
A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 900 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 900 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Study Details

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of exposure to a mobile phone-like radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic field on persons experiencing subjective symptoms when using mobile phones (MP).

Twenty subjects with MP-related symptoms were recruited and matched with 20 controls without MP-rela...

No significant differences related to RF exposure conditions were detected. Also no differences in b...

Cite This Study
Wilen J, Johansson A, Kalezic N, Lyskov E, Sandstrom M. (2006). Psychophysiological tests and provocation of subjects with mobile phone related symptoms. Bioelectromagnetics.27(3):204-214, 2006.
Show BibTeX
@article{j_2006_psychophysiological_tests_and_provocation_1433,
  author = {Wilen J and Johansson A and Kalezic N and Lyskov E and Sandstrom M.},
  title = {Psychophysiological tests and provocation of subjects with mobile phone related symptoms.},
  year = {2006},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16304699/},
}
PubMed: 16304699

Cited By (96 papers)

View all 96 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2006 Swedish study found that 30 minutes of 900 MHz cell phone radiation didn't cause immediate measurable symptoms in either sensitive or non-sensitive people. However, people who report phone-related symptoms showed different nervous system patterns during cognitive tests regardless of radiation exposure.
Research shows people with mobile phone sensitivity don't respond differently to radiation exposure itself, but they display distinct nervous system patterns during mental tasks. A Swedish study found these individuals had sympathetic nervous system dominance during cognitive tests, suggesting underlying physiological differences.
A controlled study exposing people to 900 MHz cell phone radiation for 30 minutes found no immediate nervous system changes from the radiation itself. However, people reporting phone sensitivity showed different autonomic nervous system regulation patterns during cognitive tasks compared to controls.
Cell phone radiation itself doesn't appear to slow reaction times based on controlled testing. However, people with mobile phone sensitivity initially showed longer reaction times during cognitive tests, though this difference disappeared when tests were repeated, suggesting practice effects rather than radiation impact.
People reporting mobile phone symptoms show different heart rate variability patterns compared to non-sensitive individuals. Swedish research found these people had altered low-to-high frequency ratios during cognitive tests, indicating sympathetic nervous system dominance regardless of whether radiation was present or not.