Effects of the cognitive processing on swallowing

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26750050
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: Prefectural University of Hiroshima
• Principal Investigator: Nakamura Aya 県立広島大学, 保健福祉学部, 助教 (10709629)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): IMAIZUMI Satoshi 学校法人滋慶学園, 東京医薬専門学校, 顧問 (80122018)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 食情報 / 先行期 / 言語情報

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the possible effects of auditory verbal cues on flavor perception and swallow physiology for younger and elder participants.
The auditory verbal cues had significant positive effects on flavor and ease of swallowing as well as on swallow physiology. The taste score and the ease of swallowing score significantly increased when the participant’s anticipation was primed by accurate auditory verbal cues. There was no significant effect of auditory verbal cues on distaste score. Regardless of age, the maximum suprahyoid muscle activity significantly decreased when a beverage was ingested without auditory verbal cues. The interval between the onset of swallowing sounds and the peak timing point of the infrahyoid muscle activity significantly shortened when the anticipation induced by the cue was contradicted in the elderly participant group. These results suggest that auditory verbal cues can improve the perceived flavor of beverages and swallow physiology.

Free Research Field

言語聴覚障害学