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Associations between self-assessed masticatory ability and higher brain function among the elderly
Shingo Moriya1, K Tei, A Murata
1Department of Oral Health, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama, Japan. shyomi@niph.go.jp
Journal of Oral Rehabilitation
|March 25, 2011
Summary
Good chewing ability in the elderly is linked to better higher brain function. This study found that poor masticatory ability is independently associated with lower scores on cognitive tests, suggesting a connection between chewing and brain health.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Dental Science
Background:
- Higher brain function is crucial for elderly daily living.
- Mastication quality may influence cognitive abilities in older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the epidemiological associations between masticatory ability and higher brain function in community-dwelling elderly individuals.
- To identify if self-assessed chewing ability correlates with performance on specific neuropsychological tests.
Main Methods:
- 208 elderly participants (aged 70-74) categorized by self-assessed masticatory ability.
- Neuropsychological tests included Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (RCPM), Verbal Paired Associates 1 (VerPA), and Block Design.
- Statistical analyses involved Spearman correlation and multinominal logistic regression, adjusting for covariates.
Main Results:
- Significant correlations were observed between masticatory ability and RCPM, VerPA, and Block Design tests.
- Poor masticatory ability was independently associated with lower scores on RCPM and VerPA tests compared to average ranges.
- These findings suggest a link between chewing function and cognitive performance in the elderly.
Conclusions:
- Mastication plays a role in maintaining higher brain function among the elderly.
- Maintaining good chewing ability may be important for cognitive health in aging populations.
- Further research is warranted to explore the mechanisms underlying the mastication-cognition relationship.
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