Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on cognitive function in elderly subjects (60+ years)–Results of an experimental randomized sham controlled double-blind cross-over study in women and in men

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 285; no. Pt 3; p. 122479
• Main Authors: Sauter, Cornelia, Dorn, Hans, Bueno-Lopez, Ana, Eggert, Torsten, Schmid, Gernot, Danker-Hopfe, Heidi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 15.11.2025
• Subjects: Attention; Cognitive performance; Digital radio; Mobile phone; RF-EMF exposure; Working memory; Mobile phone; Digital radio; Cognitive performance; Working memory; RF-EMF exposure; Attention
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.122479

During the regular use of digital communication devices, the human head is exposed to different levels of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). Several experimental human studies on possible effects of RF-EMF from different technical systems on cognitive performance over the last decades show contradictory results. Most of the results come from studies with young male participants. The present study examined whether cognitive functions of older women and men are more vulnerable and therefore may react differently to RF-EMF exposure than younger individuals. Sixty healthy women (30) and men (30) between the ages of 60 and 80 years took part in a double-blind randomized sham-controlled experimental study. All participants completed four different attentional tasks in nine separate sessions, separated by two weeks, while being exposed to either RF-EMF of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM 900 MHz), Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA 385 MHz) signals, or sham in three sessions each. Two performance outcome measures out of 16 were statistically significantly affected by exposure in women only: accuracy in an n-back task was worse under GSM exposure in the easier version and under TETRA exposure in the highest level of the task. Performance of women and men did not differ significantly. Only one significant sex-exposure interaction effect was observed under TETRA exposure, indicating a better performance in men, and a worse performance in women as compared to sham. Overall, cognitive performance of healthy elderly participants was not affected by short-term RF-EMF exposure, which corresponds to the results of the most recent comprehensive meta-analyses for the non-elderly population. No conclusion can be drawn for older adults with health-related restrictions or disorders, or effects from long-term exposure. •A highly underrepresented sample in RF-EMF research, elderly volunteers, was studied.•Measures of attentional performance were robust due to repeated measurements.•Short-term RF-EMF exposure does not seem to affect attention in elderly women and men.•Results confirm findings of the most recent systematic review and meta-analyses in non-elderly.