Impact of expectancy on fatigue by exposure to the fifth generation of mobile communication signals

Authors: Yang L, Ding X, Zhang S, Wu T

Year: 2025 Apr 23

Category: Epidemiology

Journal: Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine

DOI: 10.1080/15368378.2025.2496151

URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40269539/

Abstract

Overview

There is a long-standing debate about the relationship between Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) exposure and fatigue. Past studies primarily rely on self-report scales to assess fatigue, but these methods are often susceptible to personal biases. Notably, the role of psychological factors in the fatigue response induced by RF-EMF exposure remains unclear.

Study Design

  • 21 healthy subjects participated in three sessions.
  • Each session included two 30-min exposures to either real or sham 5G signals, with the order randomized.
  • Subjects were provided with correct, false, or no information about the order of exposure (informational conditions).

Measurements

  • Fatigue scoring questionnaire
  • Electroencephalogram (EEG) measurements

Findings

  • Statistical comparison indicates that 5G RF-EMF exposure at routine levels does not lead to changes in EEG power.
  • The report of fatigue can be altered by the conveyed information of being exposed to 5G signals, even when there is no actual exposure and no detectable electrophysiological indicator.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that psychological priming can influence reported fatigue in studies of RF-EMF exposure. It is necessary to prevent or account for psychological priming to accurately reveal the effects of RF-EMF exposure.

RF-EMF 5G signals fatigue expectancy psychological priming EEG mobile communication health effects
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