Frequency of Conversation, Laughter and Other Vocalising Opportunities in Daily Life and Maximum Tongue Pressure: The Goto Longevity Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Staying active in daily life is believed to help maintain individuals' oral motor function and prevent oral frailty, a potential risk factor for general health. However, there is limited epidemiological evidence of this association. This study focused on vocalising frequency as an indicator of activeness in daily life.

Methods

We conducted a home-visit survey targeting residents aged ≥ 65 years in a rural community in the Goto Islands, Japan. Among 563 participants, those with missing data for the main outcome or vocalising (n = 84) were excluded. Tongue pressure was measured thrice; we used maximum tongue pressure as a marker of tongue motor function. Frequency of conversation, laughter and other vocalising opportunities (e.g., singing or Buddhist chanting) was m

SUBMITTER: Nagayoshi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12408979 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature