ID Number		1624
Study Type		Human / Provocation
Model		900 & 1800 MHz (GSM) effects on human melatonin levels
Details		Human volunteers (n = 55) exposed to 900 MHz (GSM-like) signals for 30 minutes at a max local SAR of 0.674 W/kg, corresponding to ~0.110 W/kg in the temporal lobe of the brain. Exposure was performed by fixing a mobile phone handset to a modified helmet (to insure a consistent area of exposure) and driving the RF signal through an external amplifier. Subjects served as their own internal controls during sham exposures. Following exposures, subjects were analyzed for urine melatonin (via the metabolite 6OHMS) and creatinine concentrations. The authors report no significant difference in pre-bedtime or post-bedtime urine volume, or total melatonin levels between exposed and sham exposed. However, they did report a ~30% reduction of melatonin metabolite with RF exposure when compared to creatine levels, indicating a possible phase delay in the normal diurnal cycle. The significant difference was due to large effects in 4 separate individuals (analysis of the remaining 51 individuals alone showed no significant difference). The authors conclude "total nighttime melatonin output is unchanged by mobile phone handset emissions, but there could be an effect on melatonin onset time" possibly in "sensitive individuals". The studies were carried out in parallel to related sleep and EEG studies by the same group
Findings		Effects
Status		Completed With Publication
Principal Investigator		Swinburne Institute of Technology, Australia - awood@swin.edu.au
Funding Agency		NHMRC, Australia
Country		AUSTRALIA
References		Wood, AW et al. Int J Rad Biol, (2006) 82:69-76
Comments		The authors suggest they masked a slight buzz in the handset with white noise from a television set tuned to an unused channel during the 30-minute sham or active exposure sessions