Effect of an impaired oral stage on swallowing in patients with Parkinson's syndrome

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26463180
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Yoko Wakasugi 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 助教 (20516281)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: パーキンソン症候群 / 摂食嚥下障害 / 口腔期 / 誤嚥

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated swallowing function in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) by determining if oral stage impairment was present. 202 PD patients were studied. Their oral transit time (OTT) was measured and the PD patients were divided into groups of Normal-OTT and prolonged-OTT. Logistic regression analysis showed that tongue root-to-posterior pharyngeal wall contact, onset of swallowing reflex, and aspiration were independent factors. PD patients with prolonged-OTT decreased range of motion of the tongue due to bradykinesia. Such problems affected the pharyngeal stage with aspiration.
The subjects were 193 PD patients and 77 DLB patients who maintained oral intake. PD and DLB patients' sex, age, and H&Y stage were matched using propensity score methods and the swallowing function was compared. OTT (p = 0.048) and loss of tongue-to-palate contact (p = 0.003) were significantly poor in the DLB group. DLB patients showed significantly more disorders in the oral phase than PD patients.

Free Research Field

摂食嚥下障害