Study to set reference value of nasalance scores to diagnose velopharyngeal inferction of eldery patients

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26350563
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Gomi Akinori 群馬大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 研究員 (10325798)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 横尾 聡 群馬大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 教授 (00322206) ; 神戸 智幸 群馬大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (90649493)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 構音障害 / 嚥下障害 / 鼻咽腔閉鎖機能 / 開鼻声値

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Nasalance scores (NS) are available for evaluation of velopharyngeal closure, however there is no detail data of NS of the eldery. The purpose of this study is to investigate necessary conditions for setting standard NS of eldery patients.
NS of nine normal eldery persons were measured with pronouciation samples; vowels, consonants, low-pressure sentences "Youi wa ooi", and high-pressure sentences "Kitsutsuki ga ki wo tsutsuku". Avelage values of mean-NS of main samples were as below; /a/ 25%，/i/ 41%, low-pressure sentences 23%，high-pressure sentences 23%. The avelage of max-NS of low-pressure sentences was 52%, and that of high pressure was 70%. Compared with past studies of NS, the scores of low- and high-pressure sentences of the eldery were higher than those of the young presons. Based on these results, standard NS limited to eldery persons seems to be necessary.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション医学