Functional Significance of Stress-relieving Act of Chewing and it Effect on Brain Activation by Strees
10.2185/jjrm.54.661
- Author:
Masami NIWA
;
Itaru HIRAMATSU
;
Fumiaki NAKATA
;
Chika HAMAYA
;
Nobuhito ONOGI
;
Koshiro SAITO
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH:
Stress;
Mastication;
Adrenocorticotropic hormone measurement;
Plasma;
Stress bismuth subsalicylate
- From:Journal of the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine
2005;54(4):661-666
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
The chewing-related neuronal mechanism underlying stress relief, was evaluated by use of fMRI. For this purpose we examined the effect of chewing a moderately hard gum without any taste (X type, Lotte Co. LTd., Tokyo) on brain activation caused by a noisy sound stress, on plasma levels of catecholamines and ACTH. The stress significantly increased the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals in the amygdala and the medial prefrontal cortex, and elevated plasma levels of noradrenaline, dopamine and ACTH. However, this chewing suppressed not only the stress-induced increase in BOLD signals in these two regions, but also the stress-induced elevation in plasma levels of these catecholamines and ACTH. The results suggested that chewing might be a useful therapy for reducing stress.
