Objective: To characterize masticatory function in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA3) regarding the orofacial myofunctional condition (OMES-E), the masticatory performance and facial thermal profile.

Background: The goal of speech therapy for neurological diseases is to adjust, adapt or promote the maintenance of stomatognathic functions, especially in movement disorders. Within this group of diseases, we find PD and SCA3, diseases with similar symptoms characterized by the degenerative process. Although there are different methods to evaluate the masticatory function, there is still little literature on SCA3, therefore, in this study, the masticatory function was characterized in SCA3 and PD, applying the methods of facial thermal profile and color-changeable chewing gum.

Method: 72 individuals of both sexes were evaluated, distributed in two groups: Experimental Group: PD group (30 individuals) and SCA3 group (15 individuals); and Control group, composed of healthy individuals. All participants were evaluated and subjected to the following procedures: facial thermal profile [figure1], masticatory performance [figure2] and Expanded Protocol of Orofacial Myofunctional Evaluation with Scores (OMES-E).

Results: The mean age in the PD group was 67 years and in the SCA3 it was 46 years, and the prevalence of sex in the PD was male and in the SCA3 and in the control group it was female. In the facial thermal profile, the control group showed higher values compared to the PD group in the minimum temperature of the left temporal (p=0.021) and in the minimum temperature of the right masseter muscle (p=0.044). As for masticatory performance, the groups obtained statistically similar data, but when analyzing the masticatory strokes, it was observed that the control group presented higher values with 41 chewing strokes, followed by the PD group with 38 chewing strokes and the SCA3 group with 37 chewing strokes per minute. Finally, in OMES-E, it was observed that the control group presented higher values, followed by the PD and SCA3 groups in the variables posture/position and mobility of myofunctional structures, stomatognathic functions of swallowing and mastication, and the total score of the protocol.

Conclusion: SCA3 and PD present altered muscular condition, although SCA3 displays worse orofacial muscular condition, masticatory function, and facial thermal condition compared to DP.

Figure 1. Facial thermal profile

Figure 2. Masticatory Performance

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/masticatory-function-evaluation-methods-in-movement-disorders/