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Brain & Nervous System

Cognitive effects of cellular phones: a possible role of non-radiofrequency radiation factors

No Effects Found

Hareuveny R, Eliyahu I, Luria R, Meiran N, Margaliot M · 2011

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This study found cognitive effects from phones persisted even with radiation virtually eliminated, suggesting some EMF research may measure non-radiation factors.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested whether cell phone radiation affects cognitive function by having 29 men perform memory tasks while phones were attached to their heads. In a clever twist, they used external antennas placed far away to drastically reduce the actual radiation exposure from the phones. Despite the minimal radiation, they still found the same cognitive effects as in their previous studies with normal phone exposure.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 890.2 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 890.2 MHzPower lines50/60 Hz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

The study examined exposure from: 890.2 MHz mobile phone

Study Details

To study the cognitive functions of human beings may be altered while exposed to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) emitted by cellular phones

In this brief follow‐up experiment, 29 right‐handed male subjects were divided into two groups. Each...

Despite that, the results remain similar to those obtained in our previous work.

These results indicate that some of the effects previously attributed to RFR can be the result of some confounders.

Cite This Study
Hareuveny R, Eliyahu I, Luria R, Meiran N, Margaliot M (2011). Cognitive effects of cellular phones: a possible role of non-radiofrequency radiation factors Bioelectromagnetics. 32(7):585-588, 2011.
Show BibTeX
@article{r_2011_cognitive_effects_of_cellular_2760,
  author = {Hareuveny R and Eliyahu I and Luria R and Meiran N and Margaliot M},
  title = {Cognitive effects of cellular phones: a possible role of non-radiofrequency radiation factors},
  year = {2011},
  doi = {10.1002/bem.20671},
  url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bem.20671},
}
DOI: 10.1002/bem.20671

Cited By (14 papers)

View all 14 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

A 2011 study found that cognitive effects from cell phones may not be caused by radiation itself. Researchers reduced phone radiation to minimal levels but still observed the same memory and thinking changes, suggesting other factors like the phone's presence or weight might be responsible.
Yes, according to research by Hareuveny and colleagues. Their study showed that phones can affect cognitive performance even when radiation exposure is drastically reduced through external antennas. This indicates non-radiation factors like psychological or physical presence may influence brain function.
This 2011 study questions whether radiation is the culprit. When researchers minimized actual radiation exposure from phones during cognitive tests, they still found similar effects as previous studies with normal exposure levels, suggesting radiation may not be the primary cause.
The exact cause remains unclear, but a 2011 study suggests it may not be radiation. Researchers found similar cognitive effects whether phones emitted normal or minimal radiation levels, indicating confounding factors like the phone's physical presence might be responsible instead.
Research indicates yes. A study using external antennas to reduce phone radiation to minimal levels still produced cognitive effects similar to normal phone exposure. This suggests that non-electromagnetic factors may contribute to memory and attention changes during phone use.