Sensory Stimulation to Improve Swallowing Reflex and Prevent Aspiration Pneumonia in Elderly Dysphagic People

Journal of Pharmacological Sciences

Masahiro Kohzuki¹  Satoru Ebihara¹  Takae Ebihara²  Yasunori Sumi³ 

[1] Department of Internal Medicine and Rehabilitation Science, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan;Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Japan;Division of Oral and Dental Surgery, Department of Advanced Medicine, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan

关键词: elderly;    olfactory stimulation;    swallowing reflex;    drug delivery system;    aspiration pneumonia;   

DOI  :  10.1254/jphs.10R05CP

学科分类：药学

来源: Nihon Yakuri Gakkai Henshuubu / Japanese Pharmacological Society

【 摘 要 】

References(37)Cited-By(16)Morbidity and mortality from aspiration pneumonia continues to be a major health problem in the elderly. A swallowing disorder, such as a delayed triggering of the swallowing reflex, exists in patients with aspiration pneumonia. We found that the swallowing reflex in elderly people was temperature-sensitive. The swallowing reflex was delayed when the temperature of the food was close to body temperature. The actual swallowing time shortened when the temperature difference increases. The improvement of swallowing reflex by temperature stimuli could be mediated by the temperature-sensitive transient receptor potential (TRP) channel. The administration of a pastille with capsaicin as an agonist stimulus of TRPV1, a warm-temperature receptor, decreased the delay in swallowing reflex. Food with menthol, an agonist of TRPM8, a cold-temperature receptor, also decreased the delay in swallowing reflex. Olfactory stimulation such as black pepper was useful to improve the swallowing reflex for people with low activity of daily living (ADL) levels or with decreased consciousness. Oral care also shortened the latent time of swallowing reflex presumably due to stimulating the nociception of the oral cavity. A combination of these sensory stimuli may improve the swallowing disorders and prevent aspiration pneumonia.

【 授权许可】

Unknown