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Subject: Re: Reuters: Gum chewing found to boost brainpower, memory > Thanks for the reassuring info Janet. Now I know why I have started > clinching my teeth all of the time. It's really a last ditch attempt to > retain my brain cells!!!! OH!!, but what if I'm only a SHAM CHEWER? O well, > at least I'm putting forth an effort. > The clinching cogwheeler, Carl PR 787-826-0225 Fax - Same > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "janet paterson" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Friday, March 15, 2002 3:13 AM > Subject: Reuters: Gum chewing found to boost brainpower, memory > > > > Gum chewing found to boost brainpower, memory > > > > LONDON, Mar 13 (Reuters) - The often-maligned act of chewing gum could in > > fact make us smarter, according to British research. > > > > A joint study carried out by the University of Northumbria and the > > Cognitive Research Unit, Reading, has found that chewing gum has a > positive > > effect on thinking, memory and other cognitive tasks. > > > > "The results were extremely clear and specifically we found that chewing > > gum targeted memory," Andrew Scholey of the university's Human Cognitive > > Neuroscience Unit said. "People recalled more words and performed better > in > > tests on working memory." > > > > Peppermint gum, menthol or spearmint--it makes no difference. The key is > > the repetitive chewing motion. > > > > Scholey, who was to present his findings to a symposium at the British > > Psychological Society's annual conference in Blackpool Wednesday, said the > > improved performance in a range of memory tests could be attributed to an > > increase in heart rate coupled with a surge in insulin to the brain. > > > > The experiments involved 75 people split into groups of non-chewers, real > > chewers and "sham" chewers. > > > > Prior to undergoing the 25-minute test, the two chewing groups spent 3 > > minutes working their real or imaginary gum around their mouths. > > > > Scholey said the tests included questions relating to short-term memory, > > such as recalling words and pictures, and so-called working memory, for > > example the ability to retain a person's telephone number. He said the > > heart rate of the real chewers after the tests was three beats per minute > > faster than the non-chewers, and 1.5 beats per minute faster than the sham > > chewers. > > > > "What we think is that the mild increase in heart rate may improve the > > delivery of oxygen and glucose to the brain, enough to improve cognitive > > function," he told Reuters. > > > > Scholey added the other possibility was that chewing gum induced a surge > of > > insulin due to the mouth watering in anticipation of a meal. > > > > "It is known that there are insulin receptors in areas of the brain which > > are important for learning and memory," he said. > > > > By Jeremy Laurence > > Copyright 2002 Reuters Limited. > > > http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2002/03/13/eline/links/20020313elin027. > > html > > > > janet paterson: an akinetic rigid subtype, albeit perky, parky > > pd: 55/41/37 cd: 55/44/43 tel: 613 256 8340 email: [log in to unmask] > > smail: 375 Country Street, Almonte, Ontario, Canada, K0A 1A0 > > a new voice: http://www.geocities.com/janet313/ > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn