Tongue pressure in sarcopenic and dynapenic elderly

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Muscle Physiology
• Oral Health

Background:

• Sarcopenia and dynapenia are age-related conditions characterized by loss of muscle mass and strength.
• These conditions can impact overall physical function and health in older adults.
• Tongue pressure is an important indicator of oral motor function and nutritional status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and describe tongue pressure in older adults diagnosed with sarcopenia and dynapenia.
• To explore potential correlations between tongue pressure and measures of muscle strength and physical performance.

Main Methods:

• An observational, cross-sectional study involving 29 institutionalized older adults (age > 60).
• Sarcopenia assessed using handgrip strength, muscle mass (BIA, calf circumference), and physical performance (SPPB).
• Tongue pressure measured using the PLL Pró-Fono device.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence of sarcopenia (79.31%) and dynapenia (17.24%) was observed.
• Over half of the participants (58.6%) exhibited low tongue pressure, particularly those aged 70-79.
• A significant association between tongue pressure and sarcopenia was found in women, along with a positive correlation between tongue pressure and handgrip strength.

Conclusions:

• A decline in tongue strength is evident in both sarcopenic and dynapenic older adults.
• The study suggests that sarcopenic older adults experience more significant reductions in tongue pressure compared to dynapenic individuals.
• Findings highlight the importance of assessing tongue strength as part of the geriatric assessment for muscle-related conditions.