Maybe walking and chewing gum
at the same time shouldn't be so tough after all. A joint study carried out by
the University of Northumbria and the Cognitive Research Unit in England has found that the act of chewing gum improves short-
and long-term memory by as much as 35 per cent.
Spearmint, cinnamon or bubble-gum
flavour -- it doesn't matter. The key to better brain power is the repetitive
chewing motion, according to the study, which was presented at the British Psychological Society's annual conference in Blackpool.
"The results were extremely clear; specifically we found that
chewing gum targeted memory," says Andrew Scholey, a
scientist with the university's human cognitive-neuroscience unit who carried
out the study. "People recalled more words and performed better in tests
on working memory."
Why does chewing gum stimulate one's memory? Scientists don't know for
sure, but they are working on two theories. One is that the gentle exercise of
chewing raises a person's heart rate, which increases the flow of oxygen to the
brain. Another is that chewing triggers the release of insulin, a natural
chemical that stimulates a section of the brain involved in memory.
The results of the study were
welcomed by chewing-gum manufacturers worldwide, who said they always had known
there were positive benefits to chewing gum. "This is definitely good
news," says Christopher J. Perille, senior director of corporate communications for Chicago-based Wrigley,
one of the largest gum manufacturers in the world. "We've always known
that chewing gum has its benefits. This study just reinforces those
benefits."
The average American chews an estimated 300 sticks of gum per year, and
children in North America spend about a half-billion dollars on bubble gum
every year, according to the National Association of Chewing Gum Manufacturers.
ELLEN
SOROKIN WRITES FOR Insight's SISTER DAILY, THE WASHINGTON TIMES.
COPYRIGHT 2002 News World Communications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning
Bibliography for: "Chewing gum expands the
mind"
Ellen Sorokin "Chewing gum expands the mind". Insight on the News. FindArticles.com. 13 Mar, 2012.
COPYRIGHT 2002 News World Communications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning
Vocabulary:
Chew:
To bite food
into small pieces, in your mouth with your teeth to make it easier to swallow.
Repetitive: syn: monotonous
Saying or
doing same thing many times.
Type of mint
that use to make candy especially chewing gum.
The inner bark
of SE Asian tree, used in cooking spice to give flavour to sweet food.
Conference:
- 1) Large official meeting. At which people come together to discuss their view.
- 2) Meeting at which people have formal discussions.
Cognitive:
Connected with
mental process of understanding.
Trigger: syn:
set off
- 1) Part of gun that you press in order to fire it.
- 2) Sth that is cause a particular reaction or development.
- 3) Part of bomb that cause it to explode.
- 4) To make sth happen suddenly.
- 5) To cause a device to start functioning.
Stimulate:
- 1) To make sth develop or become more active
- 2) To encourage sth.
- 3) To make somebody interested and excited about sth.
- 4) To make part of body function.
FIQRYANASSYEDAMALZUL
let's chewing during classes n lectures....
ReplyDeleteit make our brain keep going further....!!