Boost Brain Activity By Chatting On Cellphones?

A new study has found that radiation from a cellphone can cause increased brain activity. Areas of the brain close to where the device is held are most affected. However, it is not certain yet whether this increased activity is good or bad. So that smartphone of yours is either making you smarter or increasing your risk of brain cancer.

Ultra-high-frequency radio waves are emitted during calls and data transfers. Some researchers suspect but cannot conclude that this could contribute to health risks such as brain cancer. The new study to be published tomorrow in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows that areas of the brain close to the cellphone use up to 7 percent more energy.

Unlike previous approaches, this new study employed 47 test subjects monitored over a longer time for more significant data. "We have no idea what this means yet or how it works," said neuroscientist Nora Volkow of the National Institutes of Health. "But this is the first reliable study showing the brain is activated by exposure to cellphone radio frequencies."

Although the study cannot conclude whether the increased brain activity is safe or harmful, for the time being Volkow recommends using wired headsets or the speakerphone function to further reduce risk.

[via Wired]