Monitoring the effects of mobile phone use on the brain by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

PURPOSE

To determine whether extensive use of mobile phones affects brain metabolites detectable by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-one extensive mobile phone users (average use = 5.5 +/- 2.2 years at 2.4 +/- 1.1 hours/day) and 15 control subjects were recruited and submitted to a 1H MRS brain examination at 1.5 Tesla. Data were recorded in the most exposed right temporal and pontobulbar areas as well as in the contralateral left temporal area. The ratios of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho) and myo-inositol (mI) to creatine/phosphocreatine (Cr) were measured.

RESULTS

No statistically significant changes in the NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr and mI/Cr ratios were measured between mobile phone users and control subjects and between the exposed and contralateral temporal areas.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that extensive exposition to mobile phone radiation does not cause MRS-detectable brain metabolic changes.