Chewing Gum Brain Activity: University of Szczecin Review

What the researchers reviewed

The paper, “The Neural Correlates of Chewing Gum – A Neuroimaging Review of Its Effects on Brain Activity,” pooled clinical and experimental human studies that directly measured brain signals while participants chewed. The team searched major databases including PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar and included work spanning 1980 through March 2025.

Who, what and when

Who: Lead author James Chmiel and co‑author Agnieszka Malinowska, University of Szczecin.

What: A neuroimaging review of 32 human papers (15 fMRI, 10 fNIRS, 5 EEG, 2 mixed fNIRS+EEG) that measured brain activity while people chewed gum; methods and study types are detailed in the published review.

When: Included studies ran from 1980 through March 2025 (source).

Neuroimaging gum study: core motor and sensory networks

fMRI studies consistently showed activation of the brain regions controlling chewing. These include the primary motor cortex (jaw and facial movements), primary somatosensory cortex (touch and position sensing), supplementary motor area (rhythmic planning), insula (oral sensation and taste), cerebellum (timing and coordination) and thalamus (sensory relay). The review frames chewing as a whole‑circuit motor–sensory activity, not just a simple jaw motion (review).

Chewing gum brain activity: attention, alertness and emotion networks

Beyond movement areas, several studies found activity in higher‑order regions tied to thinking and feeling. fMRI and fNIRS work noted engagement in prefrontal cortex areas and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) — regions linked to attention control, error monitoring and emotional regulation. Effects were often stronger when gum had flavor or when participants faced mild stress (study; see also TeacherToolkit classroom summary).

fNIRS findings: blood flow in the prefrontal cortex

Studies using fNIRS measured changes in oxygenated blood near the cortical surface and commonly reported increased prefrontal oxygenation while chewing. Researchers interpret this as heightened cortical activity. Flavored gum often produced larger increases than flavorless gum, and tasks that induced mild stress amplified the effect, suggesting taste and context matter (review).

EEG findings: relaxed concentration and quick alertness boosts

EEG studies looked at brain waves and linked chewing to brief rises in alpha (8–13 Hz) and beta (13–30 Hz) power. Alpha is commonly associated with calm wakefulness and reduced distraction; beta with active thinking and sensorimotor action. Those shifts coincided with short‑lived gains in vigilance or alertness that faded after chewing stopped (review).

Do these changes improve thinking or memory?

The review connects neural shifts to cognitive outcomes but warns against overstatement. Behavioural studies report modest, often temporary improvements in sustained attention during boring or repetitive tasks, while memory findings (for example, recalling word lists) were inconsistent or absent. The authors stress the neural data do not yet prove direct cause‑and‑effect to better performance (review; media summary: AOL).

Stress and emotional regulation

Participants who chewed gum during mild stress tasks — such as public‑speaking practice or mental arithmetic — often reported less anxiety and showed neural patterns consistent with improved stress control. However, chewing did not reliably reduce severe clinical anxiety or pre‑surgical anxiety. The authors suggest chewing may help in everyday mild stress but is not a medical treatment for serious anxiety (review; media coverage: Fox News).

How big and how reliable are the effects?

The review highlights very consistent motor system activations, while prefrontal and cingulate effects are common but context‑dependent. Behavioural gains in attention were generally small and short‑lived. Studies varied widely in gum flavor, sweetness, chew rate and task type, and many had small samples. The authors call for larger, more controlled and longer studies before making firm recommendations (review; industry summary: NewsRX / Gale).

Why chewing can feel calming or sharpening

The review offers plausible mechanisms: chewing is rhythmic, low‑level motor activity that can act as harmless fidgeting to steady arousal. Rhythmic mastication may affect brainstem arousal systems and thalamic relays, altering cortical excitability. Taste and oral sensation activate the insula and limbic regions while prefrontal circuits regulate attention, producing a state of alert calm. Learned expectations — people using gum for focus for years — may also shape subjective effects (review; media overview: Fox News).

Practical takeaways and caveats

• Chewing gum may help during long, boring tasks or mild stress by offering brief boosts in alertness; benefits tend to fade after chewing stops.
• Gum is unlikely to produce large memory gains or replace treatments for major anxiety.
• Dental considerations: sugar‑free gum can reduce cavities, but excessive chewing or acidic sweeteners can harm teeth and jaw joints (review; health writeup: Fox News).
• Some education commentators suggest rethinking blanket gum bans in classrooms, provided schools manage etiquette and litter (TeacherToolkit).

Authors’ recommendations

Chmiel and Malinowska recommend further research: longer‑term studies, better control of flavor and sweetness, careful stress measurement, and tests of whether regular mastication could become a low‑cost aid for mild attention or stress challenges (primary review).

Sources and further reading

• “The Neural Correlates of Chewing Gum – A Neuroimaging Review of Its Effects on Brain Activity,” Brain Sciences, 18 June 2025
• Fox News: coverage and summary
• AOL: media summary
• TeacherToolkit: classroom implications
• NewsRX / Gale: summary

Implications for San Luis Obispo, California

Local stakeholders can consider modest, practical policies and guidance:

• Schools and classrooms: San Luis Obispo County districts might explore targeted, supervised gum policies. For students who tolerate gum and follow rules, brief chewing could aid attention during long reading or test sessions; districts must balance etiquette and litter concerns (TeacherToolkit; review).
• Work and study habits: Cal Poly students and local workers facing monotony might try sugar‑free gum during long study blocks or routine tasks; remember benefits fade and gum does not replace breaks, sleep or good study habits (review).
• Public health and dental care: Dentists and public health officials can promote sugar‑free gum for oral health while warning against excessive chewing and sugary varieties (Fox News).
• Mental health services: For mild everyday stress, chewing gum might be a low‑cost self‑help option for some; it should not be treated as therapy for clinical anxiety (review).
• Local employers and public places: Libraries, cafes and study spaces may adopt flexible rules permitting discreet gum chewing to reduce disruptive fidgeting, while managing cleanliness and community norms (review).

“This neuroimaging review adds a biological lens to a common habit: chewing links sensorimotor circuits to higher brain systems for attention and emotion, suggesting small, short‑term benefits for alertness and mild stress.” — Chmiel & Malinowska (paraphrase)

Bottom line: Chewing gum produces consistent sensorimotor brain activity and context‑dependent engagement of attention and emotion networks, yielding modest, transient boosts in focus or calm. More rigorous, longer research is needed before recommending gum as a formal cognitive tool (primary review).