Effect of chewing hard material on boosting brain antioxidant levels and enhancing cognitive function

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biochemistry
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Chewing is associated with enhanced cognitive function, potentially due to increased cerebral blood flow.
• The precise mechanisms linking increased cerebral blood flow to brain metabolic changes affecting cognition are not fully understood.
• Glutathione (GSH), a key brain antioxidant, is hypothesized to play a role in these mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the changes in brain glutathione (GSH) levels following chewing in healthy young adults.
• To explore the association between altered brain GSH levels and cognitive function after chewing.
• To compare the effects of chewing different materials (gum vs. wood blocks) on brain GSH.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-two healthy university students participated in the study.
• Neurocognitive evaluations were performed using the Korean version of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status.
• Brain GSH levels were measured using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS), specifically the MEscher-GArwood Point RESolved Spectroscopy (MEGA-PRESS) sequence, after chewing gum or wood blocks.

Main Results:

• Chewing significantly increased brain GSH concentration in the anterior cingulate cortex.
• The increase in GSH concentration was more pronounced in the wood-chewing group compared to the gum-chewing group.
• The elevation in GSH levels in the wood-chewing group showed a positive correlation with improved memory function.

Conclusions:

• Chewing moderately hard materials elevates brain antioxidant levels, specifically glutathione (GSH).
• The observed increase in GSH may contribute to the enhancement of cognitive functions, particularly memory.
• These findings suggest a potential mechanism by which physical activity like chewing influences brain metabolism and cognitive performance.