Elucidation of eating behavior-related disorders of dementia patients by the mirror neurons

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25463282
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Yutaka 国立研究開発法人国立長寿医療研究センター, 口腔疾患研究部, 室長 (30297361)
• Research Collaborator: SUMA Sino 国立研究開発法人国立長寿医療研究センター, 口腔疾患研究部, 流動研究員 (70759365)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症 / 食行動関連障害 / ミラーニューロン / 孤食 / 食欲 / 軽度認知障害

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to examine the factor to eating behavior-related disorders associated with dementia. Therefore, we have investigated the factors that related to eating alone and the eating behavior-related disorder in 2522 patients who are attending dementia disease center. At first, we analyzed factors that related to the loss of appetite for eating behavior-related disorders according to disease type of dementia. Secondly, we investigated the anatomic change of the brain, the mirror neuron and the brain function associated with cognitive function of the people with mild cognitive impairment by various brain function measurement devices. In addition, the program that limit the eating alone and activate the mirror neuron system on the swallowing movement to the people with mild cognitive impairment, was investigated for the possibility of suppressing the eating behavior-related disorders.

Free Research Field

老年歯学