Study: Cell Phones 'Excite' the Brain

By Ed Oswald | Published June 26, 2006, 12:36 PM

Italian researchers have released data that seems to indicate that cell phone emissions do "excite" the brain, however it's not clear if they do any damage. While the phone is in use, the area of the cortex nearest to the phone does show changes, but returns to normal within an hour.

Researchers at the Fatebenefratelli hospital in Milan, Italy performed the test on 15 young males, who made a 45-minute call on a GSM phone operating in the 900 MHz band, a common mobile frequency in Europe. In a dozen participants, a change in brain activity in the cortex was noted.

While it did not seem to be bad for the brain, researchers said it could be for those with diseases that are linked to excitability in the brain such as epilepsy. To make such a determination, further study on the subject was recommended.

Cell phone studies have become a point of contention and much disagreement within the medical community. In January, the London-based Institute of Cancer Research and three British universities said there was no increased risk of brain tumors from cell phone use, but a study two months later disputed that.

The subject of cancer and cell phones is seen as an increasingly important issue given that nearly 2 billion people around the world use them. However, it is not clear if a definitive answer will be available any time soon.

The Italian study has been published in the Annals of Neurology.

Comments

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There has never ever EVER in the WORLD been any conclusive evidence that mobile-phones do any kind of damage to the brain. ever.

All this sh*t is to get uninformed consumers to literally throw their money in the TRASH on things like those little moronic "radiation blockers" that you slap on the top of your cellphone that prevent you from getting cancer.

They made hundreds of millions of those stupid little things which are no more then "stickers" with some aluminum crap on them. Yep, them make them for 4 cents a piece and these idiots buy them for $29.95 from informercials. 100% pure profit from 100% pure dummies.

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I dunno...if a digital cel phone transmits within 10 feet of any PC in my house, you can hear it clicking on the speakers - it nearly overrides the sound card. My cordless phone has no such effect even though it operates on the same frequency as one of my CPU clocks. Whats they say about the kind of signal cel phones put out? And we hold them right next to our heads.

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maybe your pc isn't grounded well

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Did they do a study with stereo headphones, hearing aids, the home cordless phone, etc. Always studying cell phones.

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Pfft he was probably just talking to his girlfriend or something lol.

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Girls Excite my Brain also!

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No, that would be your loins, not your brain...

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Did the parts of the brain that were excited have anything to do with speech? It said that the study was conducted double blind, and said activity (I think) only occured when the GSM signal was active. Does that mean that they were only involved in conversation when the signal was active?

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They said the effect remained for about an hour afterwards. 45 minute phone call, 1 hour cooldown.

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I believe it was the part of the brain that was physically closest to the signal that was effected. Something about radio waves having a warming effect.

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Research on cell phones ?

Come on.

Unless I'm going to look like Rachael Dratch on SNL with a baby's arm growing out of my head whilst drooling....I don't really care.

:-D

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Does cell phone "excite" other area of the body too? I have it in my pant package all the time.

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... that's Vibrate option NOT cell phone waves!

You pervert!

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no, but supposedly it can reduce sperm count up to %30 watch out.

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:-o

and i was worried about cancer down there.
another good reason i got a belt clip.
:-)

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The government and all these wonderful research firms accross the world have wasted billions of dolalrs/yen/euros on this stupid thing they prefer to call a 'study', and they still haven't a clue about it. STOP THE RESEARCH, SAVE THE MONEY! This whole thing has become "sofa-king" ridiculous!

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