Development of a method for preventing age-related decline in swallowing function

Research Project

Project/Area Number	15K11860
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Research Field	Community health nursing
Research Institution	Oita University of Nursing and Health Sciences
Principal Investigator	Shin Satoko 大分県立看護科学大学, 看護学部, 准教授 (10443897)
Project Period (FY)	2015-04-01 – 2020-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
Budget Amount *help	¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000) Fiscal Year 2018: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000) Fiscal Year 2017: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000) Fiscal Year 2016: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000) Fiscal Year 2015: ¥2,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥570,000)
Keywords	加齢性 / 嚥下機能低下 / 予防法 / 嚥下機能低下予防 / トレーニング方法 / 嚥下機能 / 舌骨上筋群 / 奥舌挙上 / 予防 / 奥舌挙上位 / 加齢 / 維持・向上 / 運動習慣 / 身体活動量 / 運動強度 / 嚥下反射潜時
Outline of Final Research Achievements	The purpose of this study is to investigate methods for preventing and improving age-related decline in swallowing function. The back of the tongue is pushed up to the soft palate with force and held for 10 seconds. The exercise was performed 5 times with a 10 second break in between.This exercise series was named "posterior lingual exercise." The exercise was performed twice a day for 2 weeks. As a result, changes in average RMS was observed a significant difference between Exercise Group and Control Group (p<.05). Posterior lingual exercise may improve suprahyoid muscle activity when swallowing, indicating that this may be an effective training method for muscle strengthening.
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	誤嚥は生命を脅かす危険を伴う兆候で、原因の1つに加齢性の嚥下機能低下がある。本研究は、嚥下過程において重要な役割を担う舌骨上筋群の訓練方法として奥舌挙上運動を開発した。2週間の取り組みで嚥下時の舌骨上筋群の筋活動量が増加することを明らかにした。嚥下時の舌骨上筋群の筋活動量の増加は、嚥下反射潜時の短縮、気道閉鎖時間の維持につながり誤嚥予防に寄与するものと考える。また本法は、特定の道具や場所が必要なく、身体的負担も軽いことからあらゆる年齢層に嚥下機能低下予防法として取り組みやすい。