“The researchers found that whole-brain metabolism did not differ between the on and off conditions. However, there were significant regional effects.”
My best friend can’t go anywhere without her cell phone. She loves to walk and bike, but if she’s doing it by herself, the phone is glued to her ear. I’m wondering if I should tell her that it may be affecting her brain.
At least that is what researchers found in a study to assess if cell phone exposure affected regional activity in the human brain. In a preliminary study, a 50-minute cell phone use was associated with increased brain glucose metabolism (a marker of brain activity) in the region closest to the phone antenna. But its clinical significance isn’t known. The study was published in the February 23 issue of JAMA.
The authors noted that the rapid rise in cell phone use has prompted concerns regarding potential harmful effects—especially carcinogenic effects—of exposure to its radio frequency-modulated electromagnetic fields. Because studies have yielded inconsistent results, it is unclear whether there is an association between these emissions of cell phones and brain cancer.
The researchers, led by Nora Volkow of the National Institutes of Health, conducted a study to assess if cell phone exposure affected regional activity in the human brain. The randomized study, conducted between January 1 and December 31, 2009, included 47 participants.
Cell phones were placed on the left and right ears and PET scans were taken using a special dye to measure brain glucose metabolism. This was done twice, once with the right cell phone activated (sound muted) for 50 minutes–the “on” condition, and once with both cell phones deactivated—the “off” condition. After analysis to verify the association of metabolism and estimated amplitude of radiofrequency-modulated electromagnetic waves emitted by the cell phone, the PET scans were compared to assess the effect of cell phone use on brain glucose metabolism.
The researchers found that whole-brain metabolism did not differ between the on and off conditions. However, there were significant regional effects. Metabolism in the brain region closest to the antenna, the orbitofrontal cortex and temporal pole, was significantly higher (approximately 7 percent) when the cell phone was on than when the cell phone was off. They also found that the regions expected to have greater absorption of the cell phone emissions were also the ones that showed the larger increases in glucose metabolism.
“These results provide evidence that the human brain is sensitive to the effects of [radio frequency-modulated electromagnetic fields] from acute cell phone exposures,” the researchers write. They add that the mechanisms by which these electromagnetic fields could affect brain glucose metabolism are unclear.
“Although the biological significance, if any, of increased glucose metabolism from acute cell phone exposure is unknown, the results warrant further investigation,” write doctors Henry Lai of the University of Washington, Seattle and Lennart Hardell of University Hospital, Orebro, Sweden in an accompanying editorial. “An important question is whether glucose metabolism in the brain would be chronically increased from regular use of a wireless phone with higher radiofrequency energy than those used in the current study.”
They also wonder whether the findings of Volkow and her team may be a marker of other alterations in brain function from radio frequency emissions, such as neurotransmitter and neurochemical activities that may have effects on other organs. “
Should I call my friend and tell her?
February 25, 2011
http://www.burrillreport.com/article-cell_phone_use_affects_brain_metabolism.html