Karlsson S, Carlsson G E
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Odontology, Gothenburg University, Göteborg, Sweden.
J Dent Res. 1990 Feb;69(2):473-6. doi: 10.1177/00220345900690021101.
Dimensions and velocity of mandibular movement are important variables in the evaluation of masticatory and speech patterns. However, little information is available concerning elderly dentates and their oral motor function and behavior. Double recordings of a chewing period, from start to swallowing, were performed in 14 elderly (mean age, 80 years) and 30 young (mean age, 26 years) dentate subjects chewing crispbread. Three-dimensional records of mandibular movements were obtained by means of the Selspot movement analysis system, which monitors infrared light pulses from light-emitting diodes attached to the test subject. There was no difference in the duration of the total chewing cycle between the two groups. Mandibular velocity was significantly lower in the elderly group, in both the opening and the closing phases. Despite great inter-individual variations, significantly smaller mean vertical displacements of the mandible were found in the elderly than in the younger group. The lateral component in the vertical opening movement was similar for both the elderly and younger subjects. The similar chewing rates in the two groups might imply that the function of the central pattern generator was unaffected by old age. Aging was, however, associated with reduction of vertical mandibular displacement and velocity.
下颌运动的维度和速度是评估咀嚼和言语模式的重要变量。然而，关于老年有牙者及其口腔运动功能和行为的信息却很少。对14名老年（平均年龄80岁）和30名年轻（平均年龄26岁）有牙受试者咀嚼脆饼干的过程进行了从开始到吞咽的咀嚼期双重记录。通过Selspot运动分析系统获得下颌运动的三维记录，该系统监测来自附着在受试对象身上的发光二极管发出的红外光脉冲。两组之间总咀嚼周期的持续时间没有差异。老年组在下颌张开和闭合阶段的速度均显著较低。尽管个体间差异很大，但老年组下颌平均垂直位移明显小于年轻组。老年和年轻受试者在垂直开口运动中的侧向分量相似。两组相似的咀嚼速率可能意味着中枢模式发生器的功能不受年龄影响。然而，衰老与下颌垂直位移和速度的降低有关。
