2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
The effects of Alzheimer's disease on pain sensation in oral region
| Project/Area Number |
17K11905
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Surgical dentistry
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| Research Institution | Osaka University |
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Principal Investigator |
Niwa Hitoshi 大阪大学, 歯学研究科, 教授 (30218250)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
前川 博治 大阪大学, 歯学研究科, 助教 (10711012)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
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| Keywords | Alzheimer's disease / pain sensation / trigeminal nerve / rat / pain related behavior |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
We investigated the effects of Alzheimer's disease (AD) on pain sensation using AD model rats produced by hippocampal injury. AD model rats had decreased responsiveness (pain related behaviors) to chemical stimuli, suggesting possible hypoalgesia. On the other hand, there was no effect on the responsiveness to mechanical or thermal stimuli. In AD model rats, although the activity of peripheral sensory nerves was not affected, a decrease in C-Fos expression in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis and the upper cervical spinal cord was shown after chemical stimulation to the upper lip. These results indicate that in AD model rats, some changes occur in the pain pathway in the central nervous system, resulting in decreased reactivity (hypoalgesia).
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| Free Research Field |
歯科麻酔学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
これまで認知症患者の痛覚に関する研究はあまり行われていない。痛みは主観的な感覚であり、痛みを適切に表現できない認知症患者ではその評価が困難である。歯科臨床において、認知症患者は、わずかな痛みにも我慢できない場合や、歯科治療や口腔ケアそのものを拒絶する場合が多い。今回の研究結果から、認知症患者は痛みに対する反応が減弱している可能性が示された。したがって、認知症患者の歯科的介入への拒否行動は、認知症の中核症状やBPSDに起因するものと推測される。このことは認知症患者の口腔管理を行う上で有益な情報となると考えられる。
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