Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation from Smartphones on Learning Ability and Hippocampal Progenitor Cell Proliferation in Mice
Choi Y-J, Choi Y-S · 2016
View Original AbstractChronic smartphone radiation activated brain injury-response cells and caused delayed hyperactivity in mice, suggesting subtle neurological effects from everyday device use.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed mice to smartphone electromagnetic radiation for 9-11 weeks to study effects on brain function and memory. While the radiation didn't impair spatial memory or damage brain cell growth, it did activate astrocytes (brain support cells that respond to injury) and caused hyperactivity-like behavior weeks after exposure ended. This suggests smartphone radiation may trigger subtle brain changes that aren't immediately obvious but could have delayed effects.
Why This Matters
This study reveals something concerning about smartphone radiation: the brain responds to chronic exposure even when obvious cognitive damage isn't apparent. The activation of astrocytes is particularly significant because these cells typically respond to brain injury or stress. What's more troubling is the delayed hyperactivity that emerged weeks after exposure ended, suggesting the brain may be processing this radiation as a chronic stressor with lingering effects. While the researchers didn't specify exact exposure levels, smartphone radiation in real-world use often exceeds what regulatory agencies consider safe for daily exposure. The reality is that most of us carry these devices constantly, creating the kind of chronic exposure pattern this study examined. You don't have to panic about your phone, but this research adds to growing evidence that our brains are responding to this technology in ways we're only beginning to understand.
Exposure Information
Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. The study examined exposure from: Smartphones Duration: 9 weeks and 11 weeks
Study Details
Nonionizing radiation is emitted from electronic devices, such as smartphones. In this study, we intended to elucidate the effect of electromagnetic radiation from smartphones on spatial working memory and progenitor cell proliferation in the hippocampus
Both male and female mice were randomly separated into two groups (radiated and control) and the rad...
When spatial working memory on a Y maze was examined in the 9th week, there was no significant diffe...
These data indicate that although chronic electromagnetic radiation does not affect spatial working memory and hippocampal progenitor cell proliferation it can mediate astrocyte activation in the hippocampus and delayed hyperactivity-like behavior
Show BibTeX
@article{y_j_2016_effects_of_electromagnetic_radiation_1489,
author = {Choi Y-J and Choi Y-S},
title = {Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation from Smartphones on Learning Ability and Hippocampal Progenitor Cell Proliferation in Mice},
year = {2016},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210909915300862},
}