Association between cognitive screening and oropharyngeal swallowing in individuals with mild cognitive impairment

• Grant number: 23/16062-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): February 01, 2024
• Effective date (End): January 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Speech Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Lucia Figueiredo Mourão
• Grantee: Beatriz Silva Justiniano Roberto
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a neurological condition found in 3%-20% of the elderly population, characterized by complaints of memory issues that do not significantly impact daily activities, distinguishing it from dementias that result in substantial loss of individuals' autonomy. Research indicates that individuals with MCI tend to exhibit subtle alterations in swallowing, often unnoticed by patients or their caregivers, as these symptoms seem not to interfere with individuals' daily lives. Additionally, MCI has a high conversion rate to dementia, where such alterations may progress to dysphagia, increasing the risk of complications such as aspirational pneumonia. Previous study results suggest the presence of swallowing alterations in the MCI population, emphasizing the need for early screening of swallowing alterations based on specific cognitive aspects. Thus, early intervention and considering swallowing as a relevant symptom in MCI patients have the potential to prevent complications associated with dysphagia and improve quality of life. Therefore, the proposed research aims to investigate the association between cognitive screening tests and oropharyngeal swallowing alterations in MCI patients. As a methodology, the study will analyze the relationship between the MoCA test to assess participants' cognition and the MBSImP protocol to analyze swallowing phases. It is expected that the results will indicate a significant negative relationship between test scores, reflecting an association between lower MoCA scores and higher MBSImP scores, revealing that the greater the cognitive decline, the more significant the swallowing alteration.