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New Study On Cell Phones And Effect On The Brain

(CBS) - It is a question that has been asked many times before: 'Can using a cellphone lead to brain cancer?'

It's an important question, because mobile phone use has increased from 7.6 million in 1991 to 223 million today. As of this point, there have not been any significant studies to show a direct connection. However, the National Institutes of Health decided to look at something else--the brain activity in people using cellphones.

Forty-seven healthy people had their brain activity measured by PET scans. Their brains were measured when the cellphone was on and when it was off. What they found is that activity in the brain close to the antenna was almost 7 percent higher when compared to the rest of the brain.

What the study shows us is that the brain is sensitive to electromagnetic waves from cellphones. It does not tell us anything else. Already, some are suggesting the advantages of speakerphones and minimizing the amount of time the cellphone is held to the ear. Once again, this is not a measure of cancer, but it does show that our brains are in some way affected by electromagnetic waves in cellphones.

Reported by Dr. Brian McDonough, KYW Newsradio

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