Effects of chewing in working memory processing.

Full Abstract

It has been generally suggested that chewing produces an enhancing effect on cognitive performance-related aspects of memory by the test battery. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that chewing is associated with activation of various brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex. However, little is known about the relation between cognitive performances affected by chewing and the neuronal activity in specified regions in the brain. We therefore examined the effects of chewing on neuronal activities in the brain during a working memory task using fMRI. The subjects chewed gum, without odor and taste components, between continuously performed two- or three-back (n-back) working memory tasks. Chewing increased the BOLD signals in the middle frontal gyrus (Brodmann's areas 9 and 46) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during the n-back tasks. Furthermore, there were more prominent activations in the right premotor cortex, precuneus, thalamus, hippocampus and inferior parietal lobe during the n-back tasks after the chewing trial. These results suggest that chewing may accelerate or recover the process of working memory besides inducing improvement in the arousal level by the chewing motion.

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Author information

Author/s: Hirano, Yoshiyuki (Y); Obata, Takayuki (T); Kashikura, Kenichi (K); Nonaka, Hiroi (H); Tachibana, Atsumichi (A); Ikehira, Hiroo (H); Onozuka, Minoru (M);

Affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Molecular Imaging Center, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba, Japan. hirano(-atsign-)nirs.go.jp

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Neuroscience letters (Neurosci Lett), published in Ireland. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-May; vol 436 (issue 2) : pp 189-92

Dates: Created 2008/04/21; Completed 2008/08/13;

PMID: 18403120, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Brain - blood supply; physiology
Brain Mapping
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods

Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods
Mastication - physiology
Memory, Short-Term - physiology
Neuropsychological Tests
Oxygen - blood

Associated Chemicals: Oxygen (7782-44-7)

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