Effects of mobile phone electromagnetic fields on cognitive functions and auditory acuity

Abstract

There are about 1.6 billion GSM cell phones in use throughout the world today. Numerous papers have reported various biological effects in human beings exposed to electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones. The current scientific literature is, however, full of inconsistencies. The aim of the present study was to advance our understanding of potential adverse effects of the GSM mobile phones on the human cognition and hearing system. The objective of work is to study the pattern of mobile phone usage among the study subjects, to study the effect of electromagnetic fields of mobile phones on cognitive functions and the hearing of the user on acute mobile phone exposure and to evaluate the auditory acuity in normal subjects using mobile phones by recording the baseline and post exposure soundwave pattern among the study subjects using Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) and evoked otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). 30 healthy volunteers participated in a double blind cross over clinical trial. The participants were made to take ADAS cognitive function test before and after 30 minute exposure to mobile phone electromagnetic fields. 20 otologically normal subjects aged between 20 and 25 years were submitted to pure-tone audiometry and evoked transient otoacoustic emissions before and after half hour of exposure to mobile phone electromagnetic fields. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in the mean HTLs of PTA and mean shifts of TEOAE's before and after mobile phone EMF 30 min exposure. There is also no evidence of change in cognitive functions before and after exposure.