Effects of Chewing Gum Stimuli on General and Emotional Stroop Test

Sung-Yoon WON¹ and Dong-Eun LEE²*

¹Department of Occupational Therapy, Semyung University, Chung-buk, South Korea.

²Department of Dental Hygiene, Ulsan College, Ulsan, South Korea.

Corresponding Author Email: delee@uc.ac.kr

The aim of this study was to determine whether chewing gum affects cognitive function and stress relief. Sixty volunteers (mean age 23.3±3.01 years) without general or neuropsychiatric disease were recruited, and Stroop tests and stress surveys were conducted. Volunteers were administered performed a General and Emotional Stroop test with and without chewing gum, and the response time was recorded. The response time after chewing gum was significantly faster while conducting the General Stroop test. Stimulation of chewing gum may increase blood flow to the brain, which results in increased cognitive function. The response time was longer in the incongruent stimuli test compared to the congruent stimuli test, due to the effect of Stroop interference. However, when the chewing gum stimulus was introduced, the possibility of effectively reducing this effect. Stress index and response time of negative stimuli test showed weak positive correlation. This study suggests that chewing gum may play a positive role in increasing cognitive function and relieving stress.

Chewing Gum; General and Emotional Stroop Test; Mastication; Stroop Test

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