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Radiofrequency signal affects alpha band in resting electroencephalogram

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Ghosn R, Yahia-Cherif L, Hugueville L, Ducorps A, Lemaréchal JD, Thuróczy G, de Seze R, Selmaoui B · 2015

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Cell phone radiation at typical call levels measurably altered brain wave patterns in healthy adults, with effects persisting after exposure ended.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers exposed 26 healthy young adults to cell phone radiation (900 MHz GSM) for 26 minutes while measuring their brain waves using EEG. They found that exposure significantly reduced alpha brain wave activity when participants had their eyes closed, and this effect persisted even after the exposure ended. Alpha waves are associated with relaxed, wakeful states, suggesting that cell phone radiation can alter normal brain function.

Why This Matters

This study provides compelling evidence that cell phone radiation directly affects brain activity at exposure levels well within current safety limits. The SAR levels tested (0.49-0.93 W/kg) are typical of what you experience during a phone call, yet they produced measurable changes in alpha brain waves that lasted beyond the exposure period. What makes this research particularly significant is the rigorous experimental design - the researchers controlled for factors like stress hormones and caffeine that could influence brain waves, and used a double-blind protocol to eliminate bias. The persistence of effects after exposure ended suggests these aren't just temporary heating effects, but indicate that RF radiation can trigger biological responses in brain tissue. While we don't yet know the long-term health implications of altered alpha wave patterns, this study adds to a growing body of evidence showing that current exposure limits may not adequately protect against neurological effects.

Exposure Details

SAR
0.49 , 0.70, 0.93 W/kg
Source/Device
GSM mobile phone 900 MHz
Exposure Duration
26 min

Exposure Context

This study used 0.49 , 0.70, 0.93 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: 0.49 , 0.70, 0.93 W/kgExtreme Concern - 0.1 W/kgFCC Limit - 1.6 W/kgEffects observed in the Extreme Concern rangeFCC limit is 3x 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 work was to investigate the effects of the radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on human resting EEG with a control of some parameters that are known to affect alpha band, such as electrode impedance, salivary cortisol, and caffeine.

Eyes-open and eyes-closed resting EEG data were recorded in 26 healthy young subjects under two cond...

Compared with the sham session, the exposure session showed a statistically significant (P < 0.0001)...

These results suggest that GSM-EMFs of a mobile phone affect the alpha band within spectral power of resting human EEG

Cite This Study
Ghosn R, Yahia-Cherif L, Hugueville L, Ducorps A, Lemaréchal JD, Thuróczy G, de Seze R, Selmaoui B (2015). Radiofrequency signal affects alpha band in resting electroencephalogram J Neurophysiol. 113(7):2753-2759, 2015.
Show BibTeX
@article{r_2015_radiofrequency_signal_affects_alpha_103,
  author = {Ghosn R and Yahia-Cherif L and Hugueville L and Ducorps A and Lemaréchal JD and Thuróczy G and de Seze R and Selmaoui B},
  title = {Radiofrequency signal affects alpha band in resting electroencephalogram},
  year = {2015},
  doi = {10.1152/jn.00765.2014},
  url = {https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/jn.00765.2014},
}
DOI: 10.1152/jn.00765.2014

Cited By (52 papers)

View all 52 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, researchers found that just 26 minutes of 900 MHz GSM cell phone exposure significantly reduced alpha brain wave activity in 26 healthy adults. These alpha waves are associated with relaxed, wakeful states, and the changes persisted even after the phone exposure ended.
Research shows that alpha brain wave suppression continues even after cell phone exposure ends. In a 2015 study, participants showed significantly reduced alpha wave activity both during and after 26 minutes of 900 MHz GSM exposure, indicating lasting effects on brain function.
Yes, 900 MHz GSM radiation specifically affects alpha brain waves when your eyes are closed. Researchers found statistically significant decreases in alpha wave power during the closed-eyes resting state, but no significant changes occurred during open-eyes conditions in the same study.
Cell phone radiation can affect brain activity within 26 minutes of exposure. A controlled study using EEG monitoring found that 900 MHz GSM signals significantly altered alpha brain wave patterns in healthy young adults during this timeframe, with effects persisting afterward.
GSM phone calls cause significant decreases in alpha brain wave activity, particularly during relaxed states with eyes closed. The 2015 study found these alpha wave reductions were statistically significant and suggest that cell phone radiation alters normal resting brain function patterns.