Mobile phone rhetoric messes with your brain
Francis Sedgemore, Sunday 18 September 2011 at 19:21 UTC
A few days ago, Finnish medical scientists publicised a study which shows that mobile phone radiation suppresses glucose metabolism in areas of the brain adjacent to the antenna. Despite being published in an obscure journal with no internet presence, and a very brief Finnish Academy press release which neither mentions the researchers’ names, nor appears on the websites of the academy or Tekes research funding agency, the story has already been picked up far and wide.
To be fair, the press release includes the following statement…
“No conclusions concerning health risks can be made based on the result.”
Clear and unambiguous, you may be thinking. Maybe so, but this hasn’t stopped media outlets and lobby groups from spinning the story as one that should give rise to concern about the health risks of mobile phone use. I have even seen one mobile accessory manufacturer, which likes to litter promotional material with references to products being “scientifically proven”, argue that the Finnish study backs the use of its phone cases.
An extreme but subtle example I found during a quick web trawl declares that glucose metabolism is associated with brain function on cellular and behavioural levels, affects memory and cognition, and is connected with schizophrenia, stroke and diabetes. So it is, but this decontextualised and unnecessary statement of fact seems designed to draw a spurious link between mobile use and the listed conditions.
It is no wonder the Finnish scientific community avoided making a song and dance about research deserving of publicity in order to to justify the financial investment, but which shows nothing that would warrant public health concern.
Feed the writer! 
Monday 19 September 2011 at 13:37 UTC
Glucose metabolism associated with brain function on a cellular level? Well who’d a bloody thunk it!
The same person(s) who wrote that might as well bloody well say that water is wet
Monday 19 September 2011 at 13:50 UTC
Or that untreated water contains dihydrogen monoxide.
Monday 19 September 2011 at 13:53 UTC
Well there you go. Look what those damned scientists hide from the people.
Thursday 22 September 2011 at 09:01 UTC
Er… if I may – I would be careful with results published in Nokia country. Why I use a BT thingy which is supposed to reduce the radiation level about 100 times or so. And even that sparingly.
On the other hand, your regular home cordless does the same. Less phone chattering, I would say…
Thursday 22 September 2011 at 10:19 UTC
The provenance of the results is immaterial, as long as the study is scientifically sound. And, as far as I know, there is no suspicion cast on the Finnish science. This topic has been revisited time and again, and so far we have no evidence of significant physiological effects from GSM radiation on the brains of mobile phone users.
I use a Bluetooth headset too, but only on the bike and in the car, and not because of any concerns over radiation.
If we want to talk of death by mobile phone, it is quite likely to be mine … when forced off my bike into the path of heavy motor traffic, by some twat in a suit casually stepping off the curb, with eyes glued to smartphone screen.