A GOLIAT pilot study involving 44 volunteers has assessed whether exposure to 5G induces changes in the autonomic nervous system. The study, led by researchers from INERIS, found that exposure to 5G may be associated with a small but statistically significant increase in body temperature and a minimal modulation of certain electrodermal metrics. The results are published in the journal Experimental Physiology. 

The research team chose skin temperature and electrodermal activity, which measures the electrical conductance of the skin, as markers of autonomic nervous system responses. In a laboratory in France, a set was built using an antenna and a 5G generator to simulate exposure levels that are currently found in the environment.

Project GOLIAT preliminary study at INERIS: One of the volunteers wearing the electrodes to measure electrodermal activity during one of the sessions of the experiment.

One of the volunteers wearing the electrodes to measure electrodermal activity during one of the sessions of the experiment.

In two randomised and blinded sessions within one week, the 44 young volunteers were exposed either to real 5G emissions or to sham sessions with no radiofrequency emissions. During these sessions, the researchers recorded the volunteers’ electroencephalograms and electrocardiograms, and measured their body temperatures at the hands, neck and head. In parallel, a series of 10 beeps were emitted during each session to assess, using two electrodes placed in the volunteers’ fingers, whether these auditory signals elicited any skin conductance responses. 

The results showed some changes in body temperature after the experiment. While there was no change in the temperature of the hands, there was a slight increase in the temperature of the head and neck at the end of the sessions.

Project GOLIAT pilot study conducted by INERIS. Image of the infrared camera measuring body temperature of a volunteer.

Image of the infrared camera measuring body temperature of a volunteer.

“The increase in temperature in the head and neck could be explained by the fact that the main beam of the antenna was directed at these parts of the body and therefore received the maximum exposure intensity, while the hands were placed on the table and received a lower level of electromagnetic field,” says Layla Jamal, researcher at INERIS and first author of the study.

In terms of electrodermal activity, the researchers observed that the auditory signals sent to the participants were associated with a decrease in global mean skin conductance, as well as some changes in other parameters of electrodermal activity. 

“The observed change in global mean skin conductance suggests that exposure to 5G may affect our physiological response to an auditory stimulus. In addition, we found a decrease in latency, the time between the beeps and the body’s response to them, which could indicate a faster or more efficient cognitive response,” says Brahim Selmaoui, researcher at INERIS and last author of the study. 

“In any case, we must point out that all the differences observed, although statistically significant, are small in absolute terms and within normal physiological ranges. This is a preliminary study with a small sample size, so further research is needed before we can draw any conclusions,” adds Dr Selmaoui.

Reference

Jamal, L., Michelant, L., Delanaud, S., Hugueville, L., Mazet, P., Lévêque, P., Baz, T., Bach, V., & Selmaoui, B. (2024). Autonomous nervous system responses to environmental-level exposure to 5G’s first deployed band (3.5 GHz) in healthy human volunteers. Experimental Physiology, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1113/EP092083