Change of Brain Blood Flow during Masticatory Movement and Bodily Movement

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The purpose of this experiment was to clarify the effect of masticatory movement and other bodily movements on the brain blood flow using NIRS (near infrared spectroscopy). First, the brain blood flow analyzing system able to evaluate both visually and quantitatively the changes in the brain blood flow related to masticatory movement and other bodily movements was developed. Second, healthy subjects were asked to perform masticatory movement, finger tapping movement and opening and closing of the hand movement for 30 seconds each. The brain blood flow increased for all movements and the amount of increase was the greatest for the masticatory movement, followed by the finger tapping movement and by the opening and closing of the hand movement. Third, health subjects were asked to chew chewing gum on their habitual and non-habitual chewing sides for 2 minute respectively. The amount of change in blood flow was significantly larger for the habitual chewing side than for the non-habitual chewing side. Fourth, the subjects were asked to chew the four types of gumi-jelly (5%, the order of 6.5%, 8%, and 9.5% gelatin) and the three types of gumi-jelly (sweet, common, bitter) on their habitual chewing side for 20 seconds. The amount of brain blood flow were the lowest for the 5% gelatin gumi-jelly and significantly increased in the order of 6.5%, 8%, and 9.5%. The amounts of brain blood flow were the highest for the common gumi-jelly and significantly decreased in the sweet and bitter gumi-jelly. From these results it was suggested that mastication activated brain activities and that the habitual chewing side had a stronger effect than the non-habitual chewing side and that hardness and taste of the food affected the increase and decrease in the amount of brain blood flow.