Mobile Phone Chips Reduce Increases in EEG Brain Activity Induced by Mobile Phone-Emitted Electromagnetic Fields
Henz D, Schöllhorn WI and Poeggeler B · Original research · Volume 12, Article 190
Encouraging short-term findings
In this laboratory study, researchers reported smaller EEG activity increases and more characters processed in an attention test when participants used the study's tested chip, compared with placebo and no-chip conditions.
- Participants
- 30 healthy adults, ages 21–35
- Comparison
- Chip, placebo chip and no chip
What the researchers did
In a randomized, double-blind, within-subject laboratory study, each participant attended three sessions using the same smartphone model under the three chip conditions. Researchers recorded EEG brain activity during 30 minutes of resting exposure and a five-minute d2-R attention test, with the phone positioned 1 cm from the left ear.
Reported positive findings
- Smaller exposure-associated increases in theta, alpha, beta and gamma EEG activity in the tested chip condition compared with placebo and no-chip conditions.
- More characters processed in the attention test with the chip; the reported main effect was statistically significant (p = 0.043).
Evidence at a glance
These findings concern 30 adults in a short-term laboratory study and apply to the specific chip tested. Applying these findings to other products requires product-specific testing.
The character-processing result met the study's statistical-significance threshold. The overall attention-performance score had p = 0.086, above the p < 0.05 threshold. Reading the two measures separately gives a clearer picture of the findings.
The authors studied a non-shielding chip and recommend further long-term research. The study measured short-term EEG responses; radiation shielding, disease prevention and long-term health benefits require separate evidence.