Effects of thirty minutes mobile phone use on the human sensory cortex

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether the pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic field (pulsed EMF) emitted by a mobile phone for 30 min has short-term effects on human somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs). METHODS We studied somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in 12 normal volunteers before and after exposure to the electromagnetic field emitted by a mobile phone for 30 min compared with sham exposure. In 7 out of the subjects we also measured the recovery function of the SEP. RESULTS Neither SEPs nor their recovery function was affected by exposure to pulsed EMF emitted by a mobile phone or sham phone use. CONCLUSIONS As far as the present methods are concerned, 30 min mobile phone use has no short-term effects on the human sensory cortex. SIGNIFICANCE This is the first study of SEPs after electromagnetic exposure by the mobile phone. Our results support the safety of the mobile phone.

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