Why chewing gum may sharpen your attention and ease mild stress, Poland neuroimaging review finds
A 2025 neuroimaging review from the University of Szczecin reveals how chewing gum alters brain activity, showing brief boosts in attention and mild stress relief by engaging jaw sensorimotor regions and higher-order attention and control networks.
Key takeaways
- Who: Researchers at the University of Szczecin published a systematic neuroimaging review on chewing gum and the brain (published June 18, 2025).
- Scope: The review synthesized 32 human brain-imaging studies using fMRI, fNIRS and EEG from 1980 to March 2025.
- Main finding: Chewing reliably activates jaw motor and sensory regions and can engage prefrontal and cingulate areas linked to attention, alertness and emotional control.
- Media: Summaries appeared in outlets such as Fox News and AOL, noting short-lived boosts in focus and mild stress relief.
What the review looked at
The authors searched major databases — PubMed/Medline, Scopus, ResearchGate, Google Scholar and Cochrane — for imaging studies that measured brain activity while people chewed gum. They identified 32 relevant studies: 15 fMRI, 10 fNIRS, 5 EEG, and 2 that combined fNIRS with EEG, all focused on human experiments reporting neural responses to chewing.
Brain areas turned on by chewing
The review found two consistent patterns of activation: strong sensorimotor responses tied to the act of chewing, and situational engagement of higher-order attention and control regions under certain conditions (PubMed entry).
1) Sensorimotor networks (consistent)
- Primary motor cortex (bilateral): movement control for chewing.
- Primary somatosensory cortex (bilateral): oral touch and sensation.
- Supplementary motor area (SMA), insula, cerebellum, thalamus: coordination, integration and sensory relay.
These activations are expected because chewing is coordinated movement requiring constant sensory feedback.
2) Higher-order attention and control regions (situational)
- Prefrontal cortex and cingulate cortex: engaged in several studies, particularly when gum was flavored or when participants performed mildly stressful or attention-demanding tasks.
- fNIRS findings: increased oxygenated blood flow in prefrontal areas during chewing, especially with flavored gum or under stress, suggesting brief boosts to attention and emotion regulation circuits.
“The pattern of activation — sensorimotor plus situational prefrontal engagement — helps explain short-term links between chewing and small improvements in vigilance or mild stress relief.”
What EEG studies found: ‘relaxed concentration’
EEG studies commonly reported short-lived increases in alpha and beta power during chewing. Alpha is associated with calm, wakeful states and beta with alertness and active thinking. Researchers described this mixture as fitting a state of relaxed concentration, which generally faded soon after chewing stopped (PubMed).
Does chewing gum really improve focus or reduce stress?
- Short-term neural effects: Most changes occur while chewing and vanish afterward (PubMed).
- Mixed behavioral evidence: Some non-imaging studies report small vigilance gains for boring or repetitive tasks, but chewing rarely yields reliable memory or complex-learning benefits (Fox News summary).
- Context matters: Benefits appear most in mild-stress or monotonous settings, not in high-stress medical situations or unsolvable tasks.
- Flavor and expectation: Flavored or sweet gum often produced stronger brain responses — novelty, taste and expectations likely modulate effects (PubMed).
Limitations the authors stressed
- Heterogeneous methods: Studies varied in gum type (flavored vs plain, sugar vs sugar-free), tasks and imaging tools, complicating direct comparisons (PubMed).
- Imaging ≠ proven benefit: Brain activation is mechanistic evidence but does not prove real-world performance improvements.
- Short follow-up: Few studies tested long-term or repeated chewing to see whether effects persist or accumulate.
What researchers say should come next
- Long-term trials to determine whether repeated chewing changes brain function or behavior over time (PubMed).
- Studies that separate sensory/flavor effects from the chewing motion itself.
- Systematic tests that vary stress levels to identify when chewing provides the greatest benefit.
- Exploration of low-cost mastication-based tools as potential attention or mild stress aids — strictly as research, not clinical recommendation.
Implications for Los Angeles, California
- Students and classrooms: L.A. schools debating gum policies may note that chewing could help students stay alert during dull lessons, but benefits are likely small and short-lived and must be weighed against cleanliness concerns; educators might try controlled trials or gum-free fidget options (Teacher Toolkit).
- Offices and creative work: Entertainment and tech workers might use gum for brief focus boosts during long editing sessions or meetings, but it is no substitute for breaks, sleep and comprehensive stress management.
- Public health and stress programs: City programs should treat gum-chewing as a possible, limited aid for mild stress — not a treatment for anxiety disorders.
- Hospitals and surgical settings: Studies show no clear calming effect of gum before surgery; L.A. clinics should not adopt gum-chewing as a standard anxiety reducer without further evidence (Fox News summary).
- City culture and businesses: Retailers and service venues may market gum for focus, but must balance consumer interest with hygiene, allergy and waste considerations.
Reporting note and sources
This article is based on the University of Szczecin’s 2025 systematic neuroimaging review, “The Neural Correlates of Chewing Gum – A Neuroimaging Review of Its Effects on Brain Activity,” published June 18, 2025 in Brain Sciences (PubMed entry). Media summaries include Fox News and AOL. Classroom context referenced Teacher Toolkit.
For readers who want a closer look at the science, the PubMed entry lists the studies included and the review’s full methods and references.
