title: Brain activity associated with memory and cognitive function during jaw-tapping movement in healthy subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether jaw-tapping movement, a classically described as an indication of personal well-being and mental health, stimulates the memory and the cognitive regions of the brain and is associated with improved brain performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve healthy right-handed female subjects completed the study. Each patient performed a jaw-tapping task and an n-back task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The subjects were trained to carry out the jaw-tapping movement at home twice a day for 4 weeks. The fMRI was repeated when they returned.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the first and second jaw-tapping session, both sides of precentral gyrus and the right middle frontal gyrus (BA 6) were activated. And during the second session of the jaw-tapping task, parts of frontal lobe and temporal lobe related to memory function were more activated. In addition, the total percent task accuracy in n-back task significantly increased after 4 weeks of jawtapping movement. After jaw-tapping training for 4 weeks, brain areas related to memory showed significantly increased blood oxygen level dependent signals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Jaw-tapping movement might be a useful exercise for stimulating the memory and cognitive regions of the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Neurological Diseases, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Ae-Sook
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Byung-Jo
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Geon-Ho
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Jahng
authors.forename: Seong-Uk
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Woo-Sang
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sang-Kwan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Jung-Mi
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D007568:Jaw / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis