Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: December | Volume: 7 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 58-62
Gender Differences in Acute Effect of Mobile Phone Radiation on Human Attention
Ashita Nain
Post Graduate, Department of Physiology, Pt.B.D.Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India
ABSTRACT
Background and aim: Rapid rise of use of mobile phone has raised the concern of possible health effects of electromagnetic radiations (EMR) emitted from it on various body functions. Literature available about the role of gender in the mobile phone radiation induced effects on brain cognitive functions is scarce and inconclusive so far. Present study was planned to evaluate the effect of acute exposure to electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone on attention and the possible influence of gender.
Material and methods: Study was conducted on 40 healthy right–handed subjects. Twenty male and twenty female subjects within age group 18-40 years were recruited for the study. Trail Making Test part A (TMT A) and part B (TMT B), Digit Letter Substitution Test (DLST) and Perceptual Speed Test (PST) were conducted to test attention before and after exposure to mobile phone (SAMSUNG GSM 90; for 10 minutes). Statistical analysis was done by paired ‘t’ test using SPSS 20.
Results: A statistically significant improvement in TMT A performance was seen in female subjects after exposure while males performed significantly better in TMT B after exposure to mobile phone radiation. Both genders performed significantly better in DLST after exposure. No significant effect was seen in performance of PST.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that even a single acute exposure to mobile phone radiation may alter the attention processes of brain and the effects may be gender dependent.
Key words:Electromagnetic radiation (EMR), Mobile Phone, Attention, Cognition