Neurological effects of microwave exposure related to mobile communication

Due to the wide and growing use of mobile communication, there is increasing concern about the interactions of electromagnetic radiation with the human organism, and, in particular, with the brain. In the present report, experimental studies on putative electrophysiological, biochemical and morphological effects of continuous or pulsed microwave radiation are briefly reviewed. Such effects have been described in vitro and in vivo using animals and humans. Particularly, effects on neuronal electrical activity, cellular calcium homeostasis, energy metabolism, genomic responses, neurotransmitter balance and blood-brain barrier permeability have been reported. However, some results have either been disputed, since experimental replication led to contradictory findings, or been related to procedural side effects. Since neurological disturbances induced by mobile telephone devices would be of considerable interest for public health, the authors recognize that further experimental studies, involving strict positive and negative control conditions, will be required in the future. At the present state of knowledge there is no positive evidence that pulsed or continuous microwave exposure in the non-thermal range confers elevated risk to the health of the brain.