Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28629417›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental health : a global access science source2017

Use of mobile and cordless phones and change in cognitive function: a prospective cohort analysis of Australian primary school children.

Chhavi Raj Bhatt, Geza Benke, Catherine L Smith, Mary Redmayne, Christina Dimitriadis, Anna Dalecki, Skye Macleod, Malcolm R Sim, Rodney J Croft, Rory Wolfe and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental health : a global access science source, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Children, Cell Phones, and Reading Comprehension.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Chhavi Raj BhattCentre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, VIC, 3004, Melbourne, Australia.
Geza BenkeCentre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, VIC, 3004, Melbourne, Australia.
Catherine L SmithCentre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, VIC, 3004, Melbourne, Australia.
Mary RedmayneCentre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, VIC, 3004, Melbourne, Australia.
Christina DimitriadisCentre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, VIC, 3004, Melbourne, Australia.
Anna DaleckiAustralian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research, School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
Skye MacleodAustralian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research, School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
Malcolm R SimCentre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, VIC, 3004, Melbourne, Australia.
Rodney J CroftCentre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, VIC, 3004, Melbourne, Australia.
Rory WolfeCentre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, VIC, 3004, Melbourne, Australia.
Jordy KaufmanSchool of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia.
Michael J AbramsonCentre for Population Health Research on Electromagnetic Energy (PRESEE), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, VIC, 3004, Melbourne, Australia. michael.abramson@monash.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSome previous studies have suggested an association between children's use of mobile phones (MPs)/cordless phones (CPs) and development of cognitive function. We evaluated possible longitudinal associations between the use of MPs and CPs in a cohort of primary school children and effects on their cognitive function.

methodsData on children's socio-demographics, use of MPs and CPs, and cognitive function were collected at baseline (2010-2012) and follow-up (2012-2013). Cognitive outcomes were evaluated with the CogHealth™ test battery and Stroop Color-Word test. The change in the number of MP/CP voice calls weekly from baseline to follow-up was dichotomized: "an increase in calls" or a "decrease/no change in calls". Multiple linear regression analyses, adjusting for confounders and clustering by school, were performed to evaluate the associations between the change in cognitive outcomes and change in MP and CP exposures.

resultsOf 412 children, a larger proportion of them used a CP (76% at baseline and follow-up), compared to a MP (31% at baseline and 43% at follow-up). Of 26 comparisons of changes in cognitive outcomes, four demonstrated significant associations. The increase in MP usage was associated with larger reduction in response time for response inhibition, smaller reduction in the number of total errors for spatial problem solving and larger increase in response time for a Stroop interference task. Except for the smaller reduction in detection task accuracy, the increase in CP usage had no effect on the changes in cognitive outcomes.

conclusionOur study shows that a larger proportion of children used CPs compared to MPs. We found limited evidence that change in the use of MPs or CPs in primary school children was associated with change in cognitive function.

Indexed as

CognitionAustraliaCell PhoneChildElectromagnetic FieldsEnvironmental ExposureFemaleHumansMaleNeuropsychological TestsProspective StudiesCognitive functionCordless phone useMobile phone usePrimary school children

Identifiers

PMID28629417
PMCPMC5477374

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.