School of Psychology, Cardiff University, 63 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AS, UK.
Stress Health. 2013 Apr;29(2):138-42. doi: 10.1002/smi.2437. Epub 2012 Jun 4.
Recent research has shown that chewing gum increases subjective alertness. Upper respiratory tract illnesses (URTIs) lead to reduced alertness, and it has been shown that stimulants such as caffeine can reverse this effect. It is now important to determine whether menthol chewing gum can produce a similar effect. Young adults with an URTI (N = 16) and a healthy control group (N = 12) rated their mood and symptoms on two occasions (the first when those with a URTI were ill and the second when both groups were healthy). During each session, volunteers provided a rating while chewing gum and when they were not chewing. Those with a URTI reported reduced alertness, which persisted into convalescence. Chewing gum was associated with greater alertness in both those with URTIs and the healthy group. Chewing gum reduced the severity of nasal symptoms in those with a cold. The effects of the URTI and menthol gum may reflect changes in trigeminal stimulation.
最近的研究表明，咀嚼口香糖可以提高主观警觉性。上呼吸道疾病（URTIs）会导致警觉性降低，而咖啡因等兴奋剂已被证明可以逆转这种影响。现在重要的是要确定薄荷醇口香糖是否可以产生类似的效果。患有 URTI（N=16）的年轻成年人和健康对照组（N=12）在两次（第一次是患有 URTI 的人患病时，第二次是两组人都健康时）评估了他们的情绪和症状。在每次会议期间，志愿者在咀嚼口香糖和不咀嚼口香糖时进行了评分。患有 URTI 的人报告说警觉性降低，这种情况一直持续到康复期。口香糖与 URTI 患者和健康组的警觉性提高有关。咀嚼口香糖可减轻感冒患者的鼻腔症状严重程度。URTI 和薄荷醇口香糖的影响可能反映了三叉神经刺激的变化。
