Researchers make the call: Cell phones could help treat Alzheimer's

The electromagnetic waves generated by ordinary cell phones can prevent and even reverse the progression of Alzheimer's disease in lab mice, according to a new study.

An international team of researchers from the U.S., Japan and China exposed two groups of mice—one predisposed to developing Alzheimer's, the other a control group—to electromagnetic waves similar to those created by common cell phones. They discovered that the waves protected younger mice prone to developing Alzheimer's from cognitive impairment. Meanwhile, the memory problems of older mice already exhibiting symptoms of the disease vanished, according to the report. Also, the normal mice showed above-average memory capacity after several months of exposure. Mice were exposed to the waves for two hours each day for seven to nine months. 

It took several months for the positive effects to appear in the mice. Though researchers speculate that similar results in humans could take years to achieve, they suggest the electromagnetic waves could provide an effective, drug-free treatment for Alzheimer's. The report appears online in the Jan 7 edition of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.