Establishment of tne method to improve dementia patients with problem feeding behaviors by mirror neuron system

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K11908
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Yutaka 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 社会科学系, 研究副部長 (30297361)
• Research Collaborator: KUGIMIYA Yoshihiro (60844082) ; SAKAMOTO Mayumi ; SUMA Shino ; MIKAMI Yurie
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症 / 軽度認知障害 / ミラーニューロンシステム / 食行動関連障害 / 摂食嚥下機能 / 口腔健康管理

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to get knowledge that contributes to the prevention and improvement of problem feeding behaviors associated with dementia. Therefore, we investigated the situation of orphans and problem feeding behaviors of dementia patients, the factors affecting them over time, and examined the relationship with the state of dementia etc.
As the results, we found that there is a significant association between cognitive decline and anorexia, depression, food interruption, ADL, number of comorbidities, and presence or absence of antidementia and psychotropic drugs. In addition to clarifying the relationship between mild cognitive impairment and dysphagia, we found that oral function and oral hygiene management could improve cognitive function. And, it was revealed that cognitive function, appetite, and Self-feeding ability decline were significantly associated with the occurrence of death.

Free Research Field

老年歯科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

認知症に伴う食行動関連障害への対応は認知症患者の介護現場におけるケアの中で大きな負担となっている。また、本障害は重度化した場合は、介護度の重症化や生命予後にかかわる状態に直結することもあり、本障害に対する支援の負担をさらに大きくしている。食行動関連障害の予防、改善に資する知見を得ることは、全世界的に認知症高齢者の急増が見込まれているなか、学術的な面だけでなく、社会的意義も極めて大きいと考える。