Functional and network analyses of human exposure to long-term evolution signal (4G study)

Authors: Lei Yang, Chen Zhang, Zhiye Chen, Congsheng Li, Tongning Wu

Year: 2020 Sep 25

Category: Environmental Science and Pollution Research

Journal: Environ Sci Pollut Res Int

DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10728-w

URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32974829/

Abstract

Overview

There is an ongoing concern about the health impacts associated with electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted by wireless communication systems such as the 4th and 5th generation networks. This study primarily focuses on the effects of the 4G long-term evolution (LTE) signal.

Experiment and Methods

A set of exposure experiments were conducted using the LTE signal on human subjects divided into two groups: sham and real exposure. The assessment involved functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after the exposure alongside analysis of functional connectivity and network properties.

Findings

  • It emerged that acute LTE exposure below regulatory safety limits still impacted functional connections and graph-based network properties.
  • Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) metrics commonly used may not be adequate for capturing the neurophysiological effects of EMF exposure.

Conclusion

This investigation highlighted potential neurophysiological changes from 4G LTE exposures which, despite being under safety thresholds, modulate brain functionalities and network properties. The study also touches on implications this has for emerging 5G technologies and suggests future exposures could yield similar outcomes.

EMF LTE 4G neurophysiology wireless communication human exposure functional MRI
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