Cell radiation weakens adolescents’ memory

Mobile usage has negative effect on figural memory development

Washington, July 21: Mobile phone radiation may affect memory performance in adolescents, according to a new study.

The rapid evolution of information and communication technologies ( ICT) goes along with an increase in exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields ( RF- EMF) in our daily life.

The most relevant exposure source to the brain is the use of a mobile phone close to the head.

The study found that cumulative RF- EMF brain exposure from mobile phone use over one year may have a negative effect on the development of figural memory performance in adolescents, confirming prior results published in 2015. Figural memory is mainly located in the right brain hemisphere and association with RF- EMF was more pronounced in adolescents using the mobile phone on the right side of the head.

“This may suggest that indeed RF- EMF absorbed by the brain is responsible for the observed associations,” said Martin Roosli.

Other aspects of wireless communication use, such as sending text messages, playing games or browsing the Internet cause only marginal RF- EMF exposure to the brain and were not associated with the development of memory performance.

“A unique feature of this study is the use of objectively collected mobile phone user data from mobile phone operators,” said Roosli. He emphasised that further research is needed to rule out the influence of other factors.

“For instance, the study results could have been affected by puberty, which affects both mobile phone use and the participant's cognitive state.”

The data gathered from the Health Effects Related to Mobile phone usE in adolescents cohort looked at the relationship between exposure to RFEMF and development of memory performance of almost 700 adolescents over a year.