Effects of 2G and 3G mobile phones on performance and electrophysiology in adolescents, young adults and older adults
Leung S, Croft RJ, McKenzie RJ, Iskra S, Silber B, Cooper NR, O'Neill B, Cropley V, Diaz-Trujillo A, Hamblin D, Simpson D. · 2011
View Original AbstractExposure to 2G and 3G mobile phone signals was associated with changes in brain activity and, for adolescents, reduced accuracy on a memory task.
Plain English Summary
This study examined sensory and cognitive processing in adolescents, young adults and older adults when exposed to 2G and 3G mobile phone signals. Forty-one 13–15 year olds, forty-two 19–40 year olds and twenty 55–70 year olds were tested using a double-blind cross-over design, where each participant received Sham, 2G and 3G exposures, separated by at least 4 days. On a memory task, adolescents performed less accurately during 3G exposure compared to Sham, and delayed brainwave responses were found in both 2G and 3G conditions across all age groups.
Why This Matters
The researchers used two tasks: an auditory 3-stimulus oddball task and an N-back task, which were tailored to each individual's ability level. In the 3-stimulus oddball task, accuracy and reaction time of responses to targets were not affected by exposure. However, an augmented N1 brainwave response was found in the 2G condition, and this was independent of age group. On the N-back task, the combined groups performed less accurately during 3G exposure compared to Sham, with post hoc tests finding this effect separately in adolescents only. The researchers concluded that this study provides support for an effect of acute 2G and 3G exposure on human cognitive function.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 0.7 and 1.7 W/kg
- Source/Device
- 894.6 MHz and 1,900 MHz
- Exposure Duration
- continuous for 55 min
Exposure Context
This study used 0.7 and 1.7 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 1.7x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
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 Details
This study examined sensory and cognitive processing in adolescents, young adults and older adults, when exposed to 2nd (2G) and 3rd (3G) generation mobile phone signals.
Tests employed were the auditory 3-stimulus oddball and the N-back. Forty-one 13–15 year olds, forty...
3-Stimulus oddball task: Behavioural: accuracy and reaction time of responses to targets were not af...
Employing tasks tailored to each individual’s ability level, this study provides support for an effect of acute 2G and 3G exposure on human cognitive function.
Show BibTeX
@article{s_2011_effects_of_2g_and_123,
author = {Leung S and Croft RJ and McKenzie RJ and Iskra S and Silber B and Cooper NR and O'Neill B and Cropley V and Diaz-Trujillo A and Hamblin D and Simpson D. },
title = {Effects of 2G and 3G mobile phones on performance and electrophysiology in adolescents, young adults and older adults},
year = {2011},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S138824571100263X},
}