Mouth exercises combined with thinking tasks for oral frailty and memory problems

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults aged 50 or older who speak Cantonese, have oral frailty (weak mouth function), and have memory or thinking problems. It tests a weekly training that combines mouth exercises and thinking tasks.

Age

50 years or older

Sex

All sexes

Disease stage

Oral frailty, meaning at least 2 of 5 signs on the OF-5 checklist: fewer than 20 natural teeth, more trouble eating tough foods than 6 months ago, recent choking on tea or soup, often a dry mouth, or saying the /ta/ sound fewer than 6.0 times/second. Also self-reported worse memory or confusion in the past 12 month, or mild or moderate cognitive impairment (Clinical Dementia Rating score of 0.5, 1, or 2). People must live on their own or with some help (Modified Barthel Index score above 60 out of 100). People must be right-handed.

Earlier treatment

No dental treatment and no mouth muscle therapy (orofacial myofunctional therapy) in the previous 6 months. No other memory or thinking training in the previous 6 month.

Main reasons for not taking part

• Sight or hearing problems that stop you from understanding the training instructions
• A brain or mental health condition that could affect thinking
• A terminal illness, jaw joint (TMJ) disorders, or Sjogren's syndrome
• Past surgery to remove part or all of the tongue (glossectomy)
• Taking drugs that affect thinking, such as Benzodiazepines, antidepressants or central nervous drugs

The registry criteria, word for word

What the trial wants to find out

The goal of this clinical trial is to proposes a novel Oral Motor and Cognitive Dual-Task Training (OMCDT) program that combines both oral motor exercises and cognitive tasks to improve brain and oral function at the same time. It will also learn about the safety of drug ABC. The main questions it aims to answer is:

The 3 groups in the trial

• Oral Motor and Cognitive Dual-Task Training (OMCDT) intervention groupTreatment being tested

  The participants will be instructed to relax as much as possible, and the surrounding environment will be set up as monotonous as possible. Only one PC, one (NIRS) with its accessories will be placed on a table. Particularly, at Week 1, Week 16 and Week 32, participants will be instructed to sit in a comfortable chair in front of the PC and wear the NIRS device. The intervention will be carried out follow the modified OCMDT protocol. Each weekly session includes 28 small training activities lasting about 40 min for 32 weeks.

  Treatment: Oral Motor and Cognitive Dual-Task Training (OMCDT)

• Control GroupNo study treatment, for comparison

  The participants in the control group will receive usual care

• Oral motor exercise groupTreatment being tested

  Participants in the oral motor exercise group will receive evidence-based oral motor exercises without cognitive training. The intervention will include four components: tongue-lip coordination exercises, tongue muscle strengthening exercises, lip and cheek muscle strengthening exercises, and mastication exercises. Each component will be repeated for seven rounds, with a 10-second rest interval between rounds. The intervention will be delivered once per week.

  Treatment: Oral motor exercise