No effects of acute exposure to the electromagnetic field emitted by mobile phones on brainstem auditory potentials in young volunteers.
OBJECTIVE
A widespread use of mobile phones evokes a growing concern for their possible adverse effects on the human central nervous system. This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of EMF generated by mobile phones, at all standard wavelengths: 450, 935 and 1800 MHz used in Poland, on the auditory brainstem-evoked responses (ABR) during and after the exposure.


METHODS
The effects of acute exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) on ABR were evaluated in 45 young, healthy volunteers of both genders. The electromagnetic impulses were generated with the antenna of mobile phone. The exposure was induced by repeated phone activation for 20 min. The ABR evaluation was performed before, during and immediately after the exposure, and the latencies of waves I, III and V, and inter-waves I-V were analyzed.


RESULTS
Prior test calibration on a phantom did not show the influence of the external EMF generated by the mobile phone on the ABR equipment. For neither EMF frequency, differences were observed in wave and inter-wave latencies during and after exposure to EMF compared to the initial ABR pattern, in both men and woman.


CONCLUSIONS
This implies that commonly used mobile phones do not affect propagation of electrical stimuli along the auditory nerve to auditory brainstem centers.
Department of Physical Hazards, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lódź, Poland.
Marek
M
Bak
Mariola
M
Sliwińska-Kowalska
Marek
M
Zmyślony
Adam
A
Dudarewicz
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D040421:Cell Phone; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male