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The effects of electromagnetic field emitted by GSM phones on working memory.

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Koivisto M, Krause CM, Revonsuo A, Laine M, Hamalainen H · 2000

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Cell phone radiation measurably altered brain function during memory tasks, proving EMF exposure affects neural processing even at everyday levels.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Finnish researchers tested how cell phone radiation affects working memory by having participants complete memory tasks with and without exposure to GSM phone signals (902MHz). They found that phone radiation actually sped up response times when people had to remember three items at once, but had no effect on easier memory tasks. This suggests that cell phone radiation can measurably alter brain function and cognitive performance.

Why This Matters

This early study from 2000 reveals something fascinating: EMF exposure doesn't just potentially harm cognitive function, it can actually enhance certain aspects of brain performance under specific conditions. The researchers found that GSM radiation at 902MHz improved response times during challenging working memory tasks. While this might sound positive, it's actually concerning evidence that cell phone radiation is actively interfering with normal brain function. The fact that EMF exposure can speed up cognitive processing suggests it's altering neural activity in ways we don't fully understand. What this means for you is that your brain is responding to cell phone radiation whether you realize it or not. The long-term consequences of this neural stimulation remain unknown, but the evidence shows your brain isn't immune to EMF effects.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 217 Hz - 902 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 217 Hz - 902 MHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: 902MHz, 217Hz

Study Details

The influence of pulsed radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields of digital GSM mobile phones on working memory in healthy subjects were studied.

Memory load was varied from 0 to 3 items in an n-back task. Each subject was tested twice within a s...

The RF field speeded up response times when the memory load was three items but no effects of RF wer...

The results suggest that RF fields have a measurable effect on human cognitive performance and encourage further studies on the interactions of RF fields with brain function.

Cite This Study
Koivisto M, Krause CM, Revonsuo A, Laine M, Hamalainen H (2000). The effects of electromagnetic field emitted by GSM phones on working memory. Neuroreport 11(8):1641-1643, 2000.
Show BibTeX
@article{m_2000_the_effects_of_electromagnetic_2296,
  author = {Koivisto M and Krause CM and Revonsuo A and Laine M and Hamalainen H},
  title = {The effects of electromagnetic field emitted by GSM phones on working memory.},
  year = {2000},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10852216/},
}
PubMed: 10852216

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, Finnish researchers found that 902 MHz GSM phone radiation actually sped up response times when people performed working memory tasks with three items. However, the radiation had no effect on easier memory tasks with lower cognitive loads.
Research shows that GSM signals pulsed at 217 Hz can measurably alter cognitive performance. The 2000 Finnish study found these pulsed radiofrequency fields changed how quickly people completed memory tasks, suggesting direct brain function effects.
The cognitive load appears to matter for radiation effects. Finnish researchers discovered that 902 MHz GSM radiation only influenced performance when working memory was challenged with three items, but showed no impact on simpler tasks.
The Koivisto team demonstrated that GSM phone radiation at 902 MHz produces measurable changes in human cognitive performance. Their controlled experiments showed radiation could speed up brain processing during challenging working memory tasks.
Working memory load determines whether radiofrequency radiation affects performance. The Finnish study found that 902 MHz GSM signals only influenced brain function when memory systems were taxed with three items simultaneously, not during easier tasks.