Mobile phone use may affect the brain

Our modern obsession with always being in touch has led to an explosion in the use of mobile phones across the planet. Some people have claimed that the radiation required to make cell phones operate is damaging to health - a claim with scant scientific evidence, as reported here.

But now a new study suggests that using a mobile phone for 50 minutes or more can have an effect on the chemistry of the brain.

In fact, the study found that there was an increase in the levels of brain sugars in the part of the head nearest to the phone antenna, but there is no suggestion that this is in any way harmful.

The study looked at 47 participants and used advanced brain imaging technology to measure the effects of prolonged exposure to mobile phones, both when the phone was in use and when it was switched off.

In both cases there was no change in the overall chemistry of the brain, but there were noticeable regional differences in the brain, with a seven per cent increase in brain metabolism when the phone was switched on.

Commenting on the results, the authors said: "These results provide evidence that the human brain is sensitive to the effects of RF-EMFs from acute cell phone exposures."

But they went on the explain that there was no evidence that phone use was in any way harmful: "Results of this study provide evidence that acute cell phone exposure affects brain metabolic activity. However, these results provide no information as to their relevance regarding potential carcinogenic effects (or lack of such effects) from chronic cell phone use."

The study was carried out by scientists at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, and is published in the journal JAMA.

This article was published on Thu 24 February 2011