Why chewing gum might help you focus — and where it falls short, new Polish neuroimaging review finds
A 2025 neuroimaging review from the University of Szczecin finds chewing gum reliably activates motor and sensory brain circuits and sometimes higher-order attention regions, producing small, short-lived boosts in alertness and mild stress regulation during brief tasks.
- Chewing reliably activates the brain’s motor and sensory chewing network, with repeatable fMRI signatures in jaw/tongue motor and somatosensory areas.
- Higher-order areas (prefrontal cortex, ACC) are sometimes recruited, especially during stressful or demanding tasks or when gum is flavored.
- Behavioral benefits are usually small and transient — useful for short-term alertness in boring tasks but not a dependable memory or high-stress aid.
What the review looked at
Researchers from the University of Szczecin performed a systematic neuroimaging review of brain activity during chewing, examining 32 human papers. The review is published in Brain Sciences, 2025, and the team included James Chmiel and Agnieszka Malinowska. For the full review, see the authors’ PubMed entry.
Methods reviewed
The paper synthesized 32 human studies that directly measured brain signals during chewing, spanning 1980 through March 2025: 15 fMRI studies, 10 fNIRS studies, and 7 EEG or combined studies. The goal was to determine whether chewing changes brain networks in ways that could explain claims of improved attention, alertness, or reduced tension.
Neuroimaging chewing gum: the main brain findings
Motor and sensory networks
Across fMRI studies, chewing consistently activates the brain areas that control mouth and jaw movement. These include the primary motor cortex for jaw and tongue control, the primary somatosensory cortex for oral sensation, the supplementary motor area, the insula, cerebellum and thalamus. In plain terms: chewing is a motor act, and the brain’s chewing network shows strong, repeatable activity.
Recruiting attention and control regions
Beyond motor circuits, many studies reported activity in higher-order regions tied to attention and self-control — notably the prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). These areas are involved in focus, managing distraction and regulating emotion. The review found such activations were more likely during demanding or stressful tasks and sometimes when gum had flavor.
fNIRS: increased prefrontal blood flow
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy studies showed chewing often increases oxygenated blood flow in the prefrontal cortex — the region tied to attention and decision-making. Effects were larger in some experiments when gum was flavored or participants faced stressors (review).
EEG: signs of “relaxed concentration”
EEG studies frequently reported short-lived shifts in brain waves during chewing — typically rises in alpha and beta power. Alpha is linked with relaxed wakefulness; beta with active thinking. Authors described these patterns as consistent with heightened alertness and a kind of relaxed focus, but emphasized that changes were transient and usually faded after chewing stopped (see review).
Flavor, enjoyment and context matter
The review highlights three contributing factors: the motor act of chewing, the sensory reward from flavor, and the psychological context (e.g., boredom vs. mild stress). Flavored gum produced stronger prefrontal activation and larger EEG shifts in several studies — suggesting taste and state amplify neural effects.
Do these brain changes translate to better performance?
Authors were cautious. While neural signals align with modest boosts in attention or reduced tension, behavioral evidence is mixed. Across studies, chewers did not consistently outperform non-chewers on memory tests (word lists, story recall). When benefits occurred they were typically small and short-lived — helpful for staying alert during boring tasks but not a reliable way to improve memory or cope with high stress (review).
What other outlets are saying
Popular outlets summarized the review as evidence that gum can boost focus and ease stress in everyday settings. Examples include coverage from Fox News and AOL, which emphasize attention and “relaxed concentration” while sometimes simplifying the limits and short-lived nature of effects.
Limits and what we still don’t know
- Heterogeneous methods: Studies used different imaging tools, gum types and tasks, making direct comparisons difficult (review).
- Neural vs behavioral mismatch: Neural changes often occurred without matching behavioral improvements, weakening claims that activation equals better performance (review).
- Small, temporary effects: Most benefits were modest and short-lived; long-term advantages from routine chewing are unproven (review).
Practical takeaways from the evidence
- Short-term alertness: For long, boring or repetitive tasks, flavored gum may give a small boost in alertness or reduce low-level tension (review).
- Not a memory cure: Don’t expect gum to reliably improve memory or learning on demanding tasks (review).
- Not for extreme stress: In high-anxiety medical settings or very stressful tasks, chewing does not show consistent benefits (review).
Implications for Hesperia, California
Economic impact: For Hesperia workers on long shifts — warehouse staff, truck drivers, retail employees and small business owners — a low-cost tool that helps stave off fatigue for short periods could have modest value. A stick of gum costs pennies and may offer minute-by-minute alertness during repetitive tasks (review).
Political consequences: In a community valuing personal responsibility and local control, this study could bolster arguments for letting individuals choose minor, non-disruptive aids like gum instead of blanket bans. Local boards might cite the review and media coverage from Fox News when debating policy (review).
Social effects: Teachers and coaches in Hesperia might weigh trade-offs. For students doing repetitive practice, flavored gum could provide brief alertness without medication. But it’s not a replacement for sleep, instruction, or proper stress care — and classroom policy must balance cleanliness and discipline (TeacherToolkit; review).
Cultural relevance: Hesperia residents often prefer practical, no-nonsense solutions. The review supports a pragmatic view: chewing gum is an inexpensive, low-risk option with modest, short-lived payoff — fitting a preference for simple personal tools over costly interventions (review).
Practical applications for local residents
- Try flavored gum during long drives or routine tasks to help stay alert — but remove it when tasks need sustained memory or safety rules prohibit it (review).
- Schools: Consider clear, enforceable rules that allow gum when supervised and non-disruptive; evidence supports possible small benefits for low-engagement tasks, but not for learning gains (review; TeacherToolkit).
- Health care and high-stress settings: Don’t rely on gum as an anxiety treatment — clinical anxiety or significant stress requires evidence-based care (review).
Sources and further reading
- Primary review: Chmiel J., Malinowska A., et al., “The Neural Correlates of Chewing Gum – A Neuroimaging Review of Its Effects on Brain Activity,” Brain Sciences, 2025.
- Media summaries: Fox News summary; AOL summary; TeacherToolkit write-up.
Quote from the review: “Neural evidence indicates reliable activation of motor-sensory chewing networks and occasional recruitment of attention-control regions, but behavioral effects are generally small and transient.”
