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Impact of cognitive function on oral perception in independently living older people

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Abstract

Objectives

Oral tactile perception is important for better mastication, appetite, and enjoyment of food. However, previous investigations have not utilized comprehensible variables thought to have negative effect on oral perception, including aging, denture wearing, and cognitive function. The aim of this study was to elucidate the impact of cognitive function on oral perception in independently living older individuals.

Materials and methods

The study sample was comprised of 987 participants (466 males, 521 females; age 69–71 years). Oral examinations, assessments of cognitive function in preclinical level by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)-J, and determination of oral stereognostic ability as an indicator of oral perception were performed. Related variables were selected by univariate analyses; then, multivariate logistic regression model analysis was conducted.

Results

Univariate analyses revealed that number of teeth, removable dentures usage, and cognitive function respectively had a significant relationship with stereognostic score. Next, the subjects were classified into good and poor perception groups (lowest 17.4%) according to oral stereognostic ability. Logistic regression analysis revealed that lower cognitive function was significantly associated with poor oral perception (OR = 0.934, p = 0.017) after controlling for other variables.

Conclusions

Cognitive decline even in preclinical stage was associated with reduced oral perception after controlling for gender, tooth number and denture use in independent living older people.

Clinical relevance

This study suggested that preclinical level of change in cognitive function affected oral perception. Dental practitioners and caregivers may need to pay attention to reduced oral perception among older people even if they do not have trouble in daily life.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all of the participants who were involved in this study. We also express our appreciation to Drs. Enoki K. and Tada S. for data collection.

Funding

This study was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (JP15H05025 and JP16H05523) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Prosthodontics, Gerodontology and Oral Rehabilitation, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, 1-8, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan

    Motoyoshi Fukutake, Taiji Ogawa, Kazunori Ikebe, Yusuke Mihara, Chisato Inomata, Hajime Takeshita, Kenichi Matsuda, Kodai Hatta & Yoshinobu Maeda

  2. Department of Clinical Thanatology and Geriatric Behavioral Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Human Sciences, 1-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan

    Yasuyuki Gondo

  3. Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology, 35-2, Sakaecho, Itabashi, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan

    Yukie Masui, Hiroki Inagaki & Tatsuro Ishizaki

  4. Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, 35, Shinanocho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan

    Yasumichi Arai

  5. Department of Geriatric Medicine and Nephrology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan

    Kei Kamide

Authors
  1. Motoyoshi Fukutake
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  2. Taiji Ogawa
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  3. Kazunori Ikebe
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  4. Yusuke Mihara
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  5. Chisato Inomata
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  6. Hajime Takeshita
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  7. Kenichi Matsuda
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  8. Kodai Hatta
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  9. Yasuyuki Gondo
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  10. Yukie Masui
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  11. Hiroki Inagaki
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  12. Yasumichi Arai
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  13. Kei Kamide
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  14. Tatsuro Ishizaki
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  15. Yoshinobu Maeda
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kazunori Ikebe.

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Conflict of interest

All the authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Cite this article

Fukutake, M., Ogawa, T., Ikebe, K. et al. Impact of cognitive function on oral perception in independently living older people. Clin Oral Invest 23, 267–271 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-018-2433-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-018-2433-y

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