Constantly Connected Cellphone Use: Brain or Boom?

Are cell phones safe? There is a long-standing debate about whether or not extensive cell phone use is possibly related to rare brain tumors, though many major medical groups have concluded that cell phones are safe. As technology progresses and cell phones become small portable computers that we find ourselves constantly connected to, it's important to ask ourselves, has a decision really been made on this issue?

According to a recent New York Times article,

"Researchers [from the National Institutes of Health] tested 47 people by placing a cellphone at each ear. After 50 minutes, brain scans showed increased consumption of glucose, or sugar, in areas of the brain near the activated phone."

The article also discloses that this study is among the first to discover that weak radio-frequency signals from cellphones have the potential to alter brain activity. It remains unclear whether these signals have beneficial or detrimental implications, but the point is that cellphone use is affecting the brain. One theory about how an artificial increase in brain glucose metabolism could be harmful is that it could potentially act as a catalyst for the creation of molecules called free radicals, which can damage healthy cells. Another theory is that repeated stimulation by electromagnetic radiation could cause an inflammatory response, which studies suggest can cause health problems, including cancer. Therefore, these theories suggest that extensive cell phone use may be more detrimental than beneficial.

In truth, there are everyday situations in which the overstimulation of the brain, as provided by cellphone use, may play a role.

Besides possible connections between cellphone use and health problems as significant as cancer, there may also be connections between overstimulation of the brain and sleep disturbance. It is believed we do not get restful sleep when lights are left on (even small power lights on devices), or when our cell phones are resting by our head as we [attempt to] sleep. Effects may not always be negative, though, as Dr. Volkow, an interviewee in the same New York Times article, explains that future research may show that the electromagnetic waves emitted from cellphones could be used to therapeutically stimulate the brain.

Ultimately, more research needs to be conducted in order to make a decision on whether or not constant connectivity, as it pertains to cellphone use, detrimentally affects the brain. Personally, I feel that while artificial increase in brain glucose isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's also not a good thing. Will I use my cellphone any less? No. Will I opt for the impersonal means of text messaging? No way! However, I feel more aware now of how much time I spend talking/listening directly on or from my cellphone. It's frightening to think that something that we are so dependent on may potentially be harmful for us. What exactly are we doing to ourselves when we employ the use of such technology? Even scarier is the thought that an entire generation is glued to their devices, with children being introduced to cellphone technology at a younger age than the previous generation. OUR MINDS ARE BEING ALTERED-LITERALLY! For the time being, those of us who remain skeptical about cellphone use not negatively affecting the brain are advised to use a headset or earpiece every now and then to alleviate concern. Thankfully, I rely heavily on my headset, though I hope that research in a few years won't show that headsets cause brain damage. So it remains to be seen whether relying heavily on such technology is "brainy," or if it causes for a mental/physical "boom" with negative implications. What do you think?