Effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by cellular phones on the electroencephalogram during a visual working memory task.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted by cellular phones on the event-related desynchronization/synchronization (ERD/ERS) responses of the 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 and 10-12Hz EEG frequency bands during cognitive processing.


METHODS
Twenty-four subjects performed a visual sequential letter task (n-back task) with three different working memory load conditions: zero, one and two items. All subjects performed the memory task both with and without exposure to a digital 902 MHz EMF in counterbalanced order.


RESULTS
The presence of EMF altered the ERD/ERS responses in the 6-8 and 8-10 Hz frequency bands but only when examined as a function of memory load and depending also on whether the presented stimulus was a target or not.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the exposure to EMF modulates the responses of EEG oscillatory activity approximately 8 Hz specifically during cognitive processes.
Krause
C M
CM
Laboratory of Computational Engineering, Helsinki University of Technology, Finland. krause@lce.hut.fi
Sillanmäki
L
L
Koivisto
M
M
Häggqvist
A
A
Saarela
C
C
Revonsuo
A
A
Laine
M
M
Hämäläinen
H
H
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000528:radiation effects; D003071:Cognition / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors