Radio signals from cell phones caused cells in three areas of rats’ brains to die.
The three affected areas were the cortex, which plays a role in high-level mental function; the hippocampus, which is important in learning; and the basal ganglia, which plays a role in the experience of sensation.
Researchers exposed three groups of rats to different intensity radio frequency electromagnetic fields for a period of two hours. Rats that received more intense exposure had more dead and damaged neurons.
Damage to neurons appear to be selective, however, as damaged cells were often surrounded by normal cells. The reasons for the selectivity, along with the mechanism causing the neuron death, are not known.
Researchers say that the study does not demonstrate cell phone use is harmful to people, but recommend the use of a hands-free device to keep the cell phone as far from the brain as possible, adding that the use of cell phones is a "huge biological experiment."
United Press International February 4, 2003
Environmental Health Perspectives January 29, 2003
I like the term "huge biological experiment" that the researcher used. Do you really want to be a participant in this experiment?
I purchased my first cell phone in over a decade for Christmas, but I only use it with a headset. There is no way I am going to expose my brain to the radiation in the phone.
Fortunately, the radiation decreases quite dramatically (exponentially) the further the phone is from the body (one over the square root of the distance between your body and the phone). When you use a headset make sure the entire phone is away from your body though, as wearing your cell phone on your belt will allow the radiation to go into your abdomen.
While radiating your abdominal organs is far safer than radiating your brain, ideally both should be spared the grief.
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