The effect of the duration of exposure to the electromagnetic field emitted by mobile phones on human attention

Neuroreport. 2003 Jul 18;14(10):1361-4. doi: 10.1097/01.wnr.0000078400.18847.f9.

Abstract

Previous findings suggested the facilitating effect of the electromagnetic field emitted by mobile phones on human attention. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the facilitating effect and the duration of exposure to the electromagnetic field emitted by mobile phones on human attention. Seventy-eight university students were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. Their performance in the administered attention tasks was compared. Participants in the experimental group performed better on one of the two measures of attention only after they had been exposed to the electromagnetic field emitted by the mobile phone for some time. The results seem to suggest that attention functions may be differentially enhanced after exposing to the electromagnetic field emitted by mobile phones. Furthermore, this transient facilitation effect might be dose dependent.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Attention / radiation effects*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cell Phone*
  • Electromagnetic Fields / adverse effects*
  • Environmental Exposure / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Random Allocation
  • Reaction Time / radiation effects
  • Time*