Estimated whole-brain and lobe-specific radiofrequency electromagnetic fields doses and brain volumes in preadolescents

Environment International

Laura Ellen Birks¹  Luuk van Wel¹  Arno Thielens²  Hanan El Marroun³  Roel Vermeulen³  Ryan Muetzel⁴  Elisabeth Cardis⁴  Anke Huss⁵  Livia Pierotti⁶  Martin Röösli⁷  Myles Capstick⁷  Ilaria Liorni⁸  Martine Vrijheid⁹  Manon Hillegers⁹  Alba Cabré-Riera⁹  Joe Wiart^1,10  Mònica Guxens^1,10  Wout Joseph^1,11  Tonya White^1,11  Henning Tiemeier^1,12 

[1] Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Erasmus MC, the Netherlands;Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Centre–Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands;Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain;Spanish Consortium for Research and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain;The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands;Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Erasmus MC, the Netherlands;Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/IMEC, Ghent, Belgium;Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences – Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands;ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain;IT’IS Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland;Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands;LTCI, Telecom Paris, Chaire C2M, France;

关键词: Child development;    Telecommunications;    Cell phone use;    Telephone;    Wireless technology;    Neuroimaging;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Objective: To assess the association between estimated whole-brain and lobe-specific radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) doses, using an improved integrated RF-EMF exposure model, and brain volumes in preadolescents at 9–12 years old. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis in preadolescents aged 9–12 years from the Generation R Study, a population-based birth cohort set up in Rotterdam, The Netherlands (n = 2592). An integrated exposure model was used to estimate whole-brain and lobe-specific RF-EMF doses (mJ/kg/day) from different RF-EMF sources including mobile and Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) phone calls, other mobile phone uses than calling, tablet use, laptop use, and far-field sources. Whole-brain and lobe-specific RF-EMF doses were estimated for all RF-EMF sources together (i.e. overall) and for three groups of RF-EMF sources that lead to a different pattern of RF-EMF exposure. Information on brain volumes was extracted from magnetic resonance imaging scans. Results: Estimated overall whole-brain RF-EMF dose was 84.3 mJ/kg/day. The highest overall lobe-specific dose was estimated in the temporal lobe (307.1 mJ/kg/day). Whole-brain and lobe-specific RF-EMF doses from all RF-EMF sources together, from mobile and DECT phone calls, and from far-field sources were not associated with global, cortical, or subcortical brain volumes. However, a higher whole-brain RF-EMF dose from mobile phone use for internet browsing, e-mailing, and text messaging, tablet use, and laptop use while wirelessly connected to the internet was associated with a smaller caudate volume. Conclusions: Our results suggest that estimated whole-brain and lobe-specific RF-EMF doses were not related to brain volumes in preadolescents at 9–12 years old. Screen activities with mobile communication devices while wirelessly connected to the internet lead to low RF-EMF dose to the brain and our observed association may thus rather reflect effects of social or individual factors related to these specific uses of mobile communication devices. However, we cannot discard residual confounding, chance finding, or reverse causality. Further studies on mobile communication devices and their potential negative associations with brain development are warranted, regardless whether associations are due to RF-EMF exposure or to other factors related to their use.

【 授权许可】

Unknown