Development of a new quantitative evaluation method for sensory disorders in rehabilitation

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K11289
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: Murata Jun 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(保健学科), 准教授 (00304428)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 村田 伸 京都橘大学, 健康科学部, 教授 (00389503) ; 古後 晴基 令和健康科学大学, リハビリテーション学部, 教授 (90640821)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 手指感覚 / 体性感覚機能障害 / 手指血流量 / 自律神経活動 / 感覚識別課題 / 手指触圧覚閾値 / 高齢者 / 脳卒中片麻痺者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to develop a new quantitative evaluation method for tactile sensory function using the circulatory regulation function as an index. Therefore, we investigated the effects of aging and sensory impairment on the response of finger blood flow during concentrated finger perception, and examined the relationship between the finger blood flow response to the discrimination task and the tactile pressure threshold of the finger. As a result, it was found that the finger blood flow response to concentrated finger perception was modulated by aging and sensory impairment (decrease in reaction volume and delay in reaction time). Moreover, the tactile-pressure threshold positively correlated with the mean change in finger blood flow during Braille reading. These results show the possibility of developing a new quantitative evaluation method for tactile sensory function using the blood flow response to the discrimination task.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

リハビリテーションの臨床現場において実施されている感覚機能検査は定性的評価が一般的であり，定量的に示すことが困難である．そのため治療介入の効果判定を詳細に検討することも難しいのが現状である．本研究で示された加齢，および病態をともなう手指感覚識別機能の変化と血流応答の特性変化の関連性は，感覚機能評価における血流調節機能を指標としたこれまでにない新しい客観的・定量的な評価法の開発の可能性を示すと考える．