An article in the Daily Mail on Thursday, 16 July 1998, speculated that mobile phones can cause short-term memory loss and sudden confusion. The article relates to research at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) at CBD Porton Down. Preliminary findings of this research were presented at the Bioelectromagnetics Society meeting in St Petersburg, Florida, USA, in June 1998. As far as NRPB are aware, the findings have not been published in the peer-reviewed scientific literature.

The study has examined the electrical responses in slices of rat brain tissue exposed to radiofrequency radiation mainly at a slightly lower frequency than those used by mobile phones. At this stage it is not clear if the results have any implications for living organisms or human health. Related work at the NRPB has shown a transient effect on memory following exposure to high levels of power frequency (50 Hz) magnetic fields which was not interpreted as a health hazard. However, further work of this type should be carried out using mobile phone frequencies. When the work at Porton Down is published, this study, together with other possible effects of radiofrequency radiation, will be reviewed by the Board's Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation.

First issued 16 July 1998

Background information on mobile phones and mobile phone base stations and effects of magnetic fields on behaviour is available and may be of interest.

Last updated 25th November 1998