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Human short-term exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones decreases computer-assisted visual reaction time.

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Mortazavi SM, Rouintan MS, Taeb S, Dehghan N, Ghaffarpanah AA, Sadeghi Z, Ghafouri F. · 2012

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Mobile phone radiation measurably altered brain function in just 10 minutes, speeding up visual reaction times by 3%.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested 160 university students to see how 10 minutes of mobile phone exposure affected their visual reaction times (how quickly they could respond to what they saw on a computer screen). They found that students reacted about 9 milliseconds faster after real phone exposure compared to fake exposure. The researchers suggest this faster reaction time might actually be beneficial, potentially reducing accidents by helping people respond more quickly to hazards.

Why This Matters

This study presents an intriguing finding that challenges our typical assumptions about EMF effects on cognitive performance. While most research focuses on potential negative impacts, these researchers found that mobile phone radiation actually improved reaction times by roughly 3%. What this means for you is that EMF exposure appears to trigger measurable changes in brain function, even during brief 10-minute exposures. The reality is that whether faster reaction times represent a beneficial adaptation or a concerning overstimulation of the nervous system remains unclear. This research adds to growing evidence that our brains respond immediately to radiofrequency radiation, contradicting industry claims that non-thermal effects don't exist at typical exposure levels.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Study Details

The aim of this study was to assess both the acute and chronic effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on reaction time in university students.

Visual reaction time (VRT) of young university students was recorded with a simple blind computer-as...

The age of students did not significantly alter the reaction time either in talk or in standby mode....

Cite This Study
Mortazavi SM, Rouintan MS, Taeb S, Dehghan N, Ghaffarpanah AA, Sadeghi Z, Ghafouri F. (2012). Human short-term exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones decreases computer-assisted visual reaction time. Acta Neurol Belg. 112(2):171-175, 2012.
Show BibTeX
@article{sm_2012_human_shortterm_exposure_to_2435,
  author = {Mortazavi SM and Rouintan MS and Taeb S and Dehghan N and Ghaffarpanah AA and Sadeghi Z and Ghafouri F.},
  title = {Human short-term exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones decreases computer-assisted visual reaction time.},
  year = {2012},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22426673/},
}
PubMed: 22426673

Cited By (88 papers)

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Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, a 2012 study found that 10 minutes of mobile phone exposure made 160 university students react about 9 milliseconds faster to visual stimuli on computer screens. The researchers suggest this faster reaction time could actually be beneficial by helping people respond more quickly to potential hazards.
Yes, the 2012 study by Mortazavi and colleagues found that male students had shorter reaction times than female students after both talk and standby mode cell phone exposure. However, both genders showed improved visual reaction times compared to fake exposure conditions.
Research on 160 university students showed people reacted approximately 9 milliseconds faster to visual stimuli after 10 minutes of real mobile phone exposure compared to fake exposure. This improvement occurred in both talk and standby modes of phone operation.
Researchers suggest the 9-millisecond improvement in visual reaction time from mobile phone exposure might actually reduce accidents. The study authors propose that faster responses to visual hazards could decrease human errors and potentially prevent fatal accidents in real-world situations.
No, the 2012 study found that student age did not significantly alter reaction time improvements from mobile phone electromagnetic field exposure. Both younger and older university students showed similar faster reaction times after 10 minutes of phone exposure.