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Murata J, Murata S, Kodama T, Nakano H, Soma M, Nakae H, Satoh Y, Kogo H, Umeki N. Age-Related Changes in the Response of Finger Skin Blood Flow during a Braille Character Discrimination Task. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:healthcare9020143. [PMID: 33535715 PMCID: PMC7912848 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9020143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We hypothesized that age-related changes in sensory function might be reflected by a modulation of the blood flow response associated with tactile sensation. The aim of the present study was to clarify how the blood flow response of the fingers during concentrated finger perception is affected by aging. We measured the tactile-pressure threshold of the distal palmar pad of the index finger and skin blood flow in the finger (SBF) during Braille reading performed under blind conditions in young (n = 27) and older (n = 37) subjects. As a result, the tactile-pressure threshold was higher in older subjects (2.99 ± 0.37 log10 0.1 mg) than in young subjects (2.76 ± 0.24 log10 0.1 mg) (p < 0.01). On the other hand, the SBF response was markedly smaller in older subjects (−4.9 ± 7.0%) than in young subjects (−25.8 ± 15.4%) (p < 0.01). Moreover, the peak response arrival times to Braille reading in older and young subjects were 12.5 ± 3.1 s and 8.8 ± 3.6 s, respectively (p < 0.01). A decline in tactile sensitivity occurs with aging. Blood flow responses associated with tactile sensation are also affected by aging, as represented by a decrease in blood flow and a delay in the reaction time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Murata
- Department of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8520, Japan; (H.K.); (N.U.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-95-819-7923
| | - Shin Murata
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kyoto Tachibana University, Kyoto 607-8175, Japan; (S.M.); (T.K.); (H.N.)
| | - Takayuki Kodama
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kyoto Tachibana University, Kyoto 607-8175, Japan; (S.M.); (T.K.); (H.N.)
| | - Hideki Nakano
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kyoto Tachibana University, Kyoto 607-8175, Japan; (S.M.); (T.K.); (H.N.)
| | - Masayuki Soma
- Course of Rehabilitation, Department of Health Sciences, Tohoku Fukushi University, Miyagi 981-8522, Japan; (M.S.); (H.N.); (Y.S.)
| | - Hideyuki Nakae
- Course of Rehabilitation, Department of Health Sciences, Tohoku Fukushi University, Miyagi 981-8522, Japan; (M.S.); (H.N.); (Y.S.)
| | - Yousuke Satoh
- Course of Rehabilitation, Department of Health Sciences, Tohoku Fukushi University, Miyagi 981-8522, Japan; (M.S.); (H.N.); (Y.S.)
| | - Haruki Kogo
- Department of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8520, Japan; (H.K.); (N.U.)
| | - Naho Umeki
- Department of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8520, Japan; (H.K.); (N.U.)
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