Can Cell Phones Really Alter The Way You Think? (T, VZ, S)

According to a study from the National Institutes of Health, cell phones may alter your brain activity, and it could be potentially damaging in the long term. Researchers have found that less than an hour of cellphone use can cause brain activity to speed up in the area that is closest to the antenna. The researchers, led by Dr. Nora D. Volkow, have not figured out what this means yet, and ask the public to not jump to any conclusions. The study was published Wednesday in The Journal of the American Medical Association. “The study is important because it documents that the human brain is sensitive to the electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by cellphones,” Dr. Volkow said. “It also highlights the importance of doing studies to address the question of whether there are — or are not — long-lasting consequences of repeated stimulation, of getting exposed over five, 10 or 15 years.” Companies like AT&T T, Verizon VZ and Spring S will be very interested in seeing what Dr. Volkow and her team conclude from these findings. There is certain to have a debate about whether cellphones are safe or hazardous to your health. There have been a few studies of heavy usage and rare brain tumors, but these cases are few and far between. “Unfortunately this particular study does not enlighten us in terms of whether this is detrimental or if it could even be beneficial,” Dr. Volkow said. “It just tells us that even though these are weak signals, the human brain is activated by them.” Most major medical groups, including the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute and the Food and Drug Administration, have proclaimed cell phones safe to use and not risky to your long term health, but some doctors have proclaimed caution in these findings. “The peer-reviewed scientific evidence has overwhelmingly indicated that wireless devices, within the limits established by the F.C.C., do not pose a public health risk or cause any adverse health effects,” said John Walls, vice president of public affairs for the CTIA – The Wireless Association. Walls said that the groups "have concurred that wireless devices are not a public health risk.” In an editorial accompanying the Journal article, Henry C. Lai continued to raise concerns about the safety of cellphones. “The bottom line is that it adds to the concern that cellphone use could be a health hazard,” said Dr. Lai. “Everybody is worried about brain cancer, and the jury is still out on that question. There are actually quite a lot of studies showing cellphone radiation associated with other events, like sleep disturbances. But people have not been paying a lot of attention to these other types of studies.” Dr. Volkow said, “It does not in any way preclude or decrease my cellphone utilization,” she said. What do you think? Are cellphones potentially dangerous to your health?