Effects of twenty-minute 3G mobile phone irradiation on event related potential components and early gamma synchronization in auditory oddball paradigm.
We investigated the potential effects of 20 min irradiation from a new generation Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) 3G mobile phone on human event related potentials (ERPs) in an auditory oddball paradigm. In a double-blind task design, subjects were exposed to either genuine or sham irradiation in two separate sessions. Before and after irradiation subjects were presented with a random series of 50 ms tone burst (frequent standards: 1 kHz, P=0.8, rare deviants: 1.5 kHz, P=0.2) at a mean repetition rate of 1500 ms while electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. The subjects' task was to silently count the appearance of targets. The amplitude and latency of the N100, N200, P200 and P300 components for targets and standards were analyzed in 29 subjects. We found no significant effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) irradiation on the amplitude and latency of the above ERP components. In order to study possible effects of EMF on attentional processes, we applied a wavelet-based time-frequency method to analyze the early gamma component of brain responses to auditory stimuli. We found that the early evoked gamma activity was insensitive to UMTS RF exposition. Our results support the notion, that a single 20 min irradiation from new generation 3G mobile phones does not induce measurable changes in latency or amplitude of ERP components or in oscillatory gamma-band activity in an auditory oddball paradigm.
Stefanics
G
G
Department of Experimental Zoology and Neurobiology, University of Pécs, 6. Ifjúság str., H-7624, Pécs, Hungary.
Thuróczy
G
G
Kellényi
L
L
Hernádi
I
I
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D040421:Cell Phone; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011571:Psychoacoustics; D011827:Radiation; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D055815:Young Adult