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Brain & Nervous System

Preattentive auditory information processing under exposure to the 902 MHz GSM mobile phone electromagnetic field: A mismatch negativity (MMN) study.

No Effects Found

Kwon MS, Kujala T, Huotilainen M, Shestakova A, Näätänen R, Hämäläinen H. · 2009

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Cell phone radiation at typical exposure levels showed no immediate effects on the brain's automatic sound processing in healthy adults.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested whether cell phone radiation affects the brain's ability to automatically detect changes in sounds by measuring brain waves in 17 healthy adults while a GSM phone was placed next to their ear. They found no differences in brain responses whether the phone was on or off, suggesting that acute exposure to cell phone radiation doesn't impair this basic auditory processing function. This study adds to research examining how electromagnetic fields might affect brain function during everyday phone use.

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

The study examined exposure from: 902 MHz pulsed at 217 Hz

Study Details

The aim of this study is to investigate Preattentive auditory information processing under exposure to the 902 MHz GSM mobile phone electromagnetic field: A mismatch negativity (MMN) study.

In this study, MMN responses to duration, intensity, frequency, and gap changes were recorded in hea...

An MMN was elicited by all deviant types, while its amplitude and latency showed no significant diff...

In the present study, we found no conclusive evidence that acute exposure to GSM mobile phone EMF affects cortical auditory change detection processing reflected by the MMN.

Cite This Study
Kwon MS, Kujala T, Huotilainen M, Shestakova A, Näätänen R, Hämäläinen H. (2009). Preattentive auditory information processing under exposure to the 902 MHz GSM mobile phone electromagnetic field: A mismatch negativity (MMN) study. Bioelectromagnetics.30(3):241-248, 2009.
Show BibTeX
@article{ms_2009_preattentive_auditory_information_processing_3166,
  author = {Kwon MS and Kujala T and Huotilainen M and Shestakova A and Näätänen R and Hämäläinen H.},
  title = {Preattentive auditory information processing under exposure to the 902 MHz GSM mobile phone electromagnetic field: A mismatch negativity (MMN) study.},
  year = {2009},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.20470},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.20470},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.20470

Cited By (19 papers)

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2009 study found no significant effects on auditory processing when 17 adults were exposed to 902 MHz GSM radiation. Brain wave measurements showed identical responses whether the phone was on or off, indicating acute exposure doesn't impair the brain's automatic sound detection abilities.
Research measuring mismatch negativity brain waves found no differences in amplitude or timing when a GSM phone was placed next to participants' ears. The brain's electrical activity remained unchanged whether exposed to 902 MHz radiation or not during auditory tasks.
A study using 902 MHz radiation pulsed at 217 Hz showed no impact on cortical auditory change detection. Participants' brains processed sound changes identically during both real and sham phone exposure, suggesting no acute hearing-related effects from this specific signal type.
Mismatch negativity (MMN) measures the brain's automatic response to unexpected sounds through EEG brain waves. This 2009 study used MMN to detect whether 902 MHz GSM radiation affects auditory processing, finding no significant changes in brain response patterns during phone exposure.
Research found no immediate effects on brain function when participants held active 902 MHz GSM phones against their ears. Brain wave measurements during auditory tasks showed identical patterns whether phones were transmitting radiation or turned off, indicating no acute cortical changes.