Study shows mobiles boost brain metabolism

A STUDY HAS REVEALED that chatting on a mobile phone for long periods can cause a boost in brain metabolism.

The research reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that exposure to mobile phones does affect brain glucose metabolism, which is a marker of brain activity.

Before the great unwashed gets too excited about the idea of boosting brain metabolism, it's not actually a good thing. It doesn't translate to increased brain power. If anything, it could expose potential dangers of using mobile technology if the results concur with other recent studies into the health risks of using mobile phones.

The research team did a randomised crossover study with 47 mobile phone users. Two mobiles were put over either ear and an injection was given to measure the amount of brain glucose metabolism. The mobile over the right ear was muted for 50 minutes but turned on and the other mobile was turned off.

"The metabolism in the region closest to the antenna (orbitofrontal cortex and temporal pole) was significantly higher for on than off conditions," wrote the researchers.

But what does that increased brain glucose metabolism translate into? The problem is that the research team really doesn't know and won't extrapolate a hypothesis from the study to suggest that there is a significant health risk in the short term or long term.

But that's science for you. We're sure the traditional press will get hold of this study and draw whatever conclusions they want. We can already imagine their OTT headlines. µ