Relationship between oral mucosal stimulation and cognitive function

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K12070
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Dental College
• Principal Investigator: Makino Michiko 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 准教授 (50550729)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 内藤 徹 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 教授 (10244782) ; 湯浅 賢治 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 客員教授 (40136510) ; 香川 豊宏 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 教授 (00258592) ; 稲冨 大介 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 診療放射線技師 (00454934) ; 野口 哲司 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 医員 (90785643) ; 梅崎 陽二朗 福岡歯科大学, 口腔歯学部, 准教授 (20778336)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 認知機能

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Dementia is one of the main causes of the need for nursing care, and it is considered important in society to prevent dementia. In recent years, it has been reported that there is a relationship between the decline in cognitive function and the decline in masticatory function. Therefore, we conducted a study on elderly people with the aim of clarifying whether stimulation of the oral mucosa is related to cognitive decline. We investigated oral-related items such as the number of teeth and the use of dentures, cognitive function, and the degree of cerebral atrophy in elderly people aged 65 and over with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. As a result, a relationship was found between the number of teeth and the degree of brain atrophy. Therefore, it was suggested that the current number of teeth may be significantly related to the decline in cognitive function.

Free Research Field

口腔機能

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

認知症及び軽度認知機能低下を認める高齢者において、現在歯数と脳萎縮の程度に関連が認められた。高齢者における口腔健康管理の重要性が認識できる結果となった。喪失歯数を増やさないためにも、高齢期だけでなく、壮年期からの口腔健康管理の意義も重要性が増すと考えられる。