Continuous tongue suction as a potential therapy for obstructive sleep apnea: A feasibility study

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25861877
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Prosthodontics/ Dental materials science and
• Research Institution: Neuropsychiatric Research Institute
• Principal Investigator: FUKUDA Tatsuya 公益財団法人神経研究所, 研究部, 研究員 (90624833)
• Research Collaborator: TSUIKI Satoru ; TAKEI Yoichiro ; KOBAYASHI Mina ; MINAMINO Osamu ; SOGA Yusaku ; ISONO Shiroh ; INOUE Yuichi
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 閉塞性睡眠時無呼吸症候群 / 口腔内装置

Outline of Final Research Achievements

During wakefulness, apneic events, even in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), hardly occur regardless of the presence or absence of such episodes while asleep, because the augmented activity of the genioglossus muscle acts to patent the upper airway by maintaining the tongue in position. Hence, it is reasonable to hypothesize that OSA could be alleviated if the awake tongue position is maintained despite a sleep-related reduction in genioglossus muscle activity.　It was found that continuous tongue suction to maintain the tongue in the awake position improved OSA. This approach represents a potential alternative for OSA treatment without application of positive airway pressure and mandibular/tongue advancement treatment.

Free Research Field

睡眠歯科医学、補綴歯科学