No effects of short‐term exposure to mobile phone electromagnetic fields on human cognitive performance: A meta‐analysis

Abstract

During recent years, a large number of studies on the effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by cellular mobile phones on human cognitive performance have been carried out. However, the results have been ambiguous. We carried out the current meta-analysis in order to investigate the impact of electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on human cognition. Seventeen studies were included in the meta-analysis as they fulfill several requirements such as single- or double-blind experimental study design, and documentation of means and standard deviations of dependent variables. The meta-analysis was carried out as a group comparison between exposed and non-exposed subjects. No significant effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile phones were found. Cognitive abilities seem to be neither impaired nor facilitated. Results of the meta-analysis suggest that a substantial short-term impact of high frequency electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on cognitive performance can essentially be ruled out.

Effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by GSM phones on working memory: a meta‐analysis

“…() and Barth et al . () reported no effects of exposure. These meta‐analyses have several limitations in the context of assessing the effects of EMF on WM.…”

Acute effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic field emitted by mobile phone on brain function

“…The current review reopens the question of whether MP EMF exposure affects brain function. Previous reviews of studies prior to 2011 have suggested that there is no effect of short‐term exposure to MP EMFs on human cognitive performance [Valentini et al, ; Barth et al, ]. Several studies in the current review point to an increase in cortical excitability and/or efficiency during exposure that may persist for several minutes post‐exposure.…”

Electromagnetic energy radiated from mobile phone alters electrocardiographic records of patients with ischemic heart disease

“…reported that the cognitive abilities neither impaired nor facilitated electromagnetic fields emitted by GSM and Universal Mobile. [19] Neither heating nor overproduction of reactive oxygen species explain the cardiac effect of mobile in this study because the subjects were exposed to short duration of electromagnetic energy (40 sec). Yuasa et al .…”