P580 - THE EFFECTS OF NUTRITION ADMINISTRATION ROUTE AND FEEDING REGIMEN ON MASTICATION ACTIVITY IN RATS

P580

THE EFFECTS OF NUTRITION ADMINISTRATION ROUTE AND FEEDING REGIMEN ON MASTICATION ACTIVITY IN RATS

A. Honjo¹, K. Abe¹, I. Yamaoka^1,*

¹Medical Foods Reseach Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc., Naruto, Japan

Rationale: Stomach tube feeding is one of the options available when oral intake is difficult and long-term nutritional management is necessary. Furthermore, there are many patients who are not able to regain their eating function. Thus, the present study was conducted to determine the effects of nutritional intake through a stomach tube feeding on eating functions.

Methods: Seven-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups (a Solid Diet Group, a Liquid Diet Group, and a Continuous Stomach Tube Feeding Group). All rats were given  a solid or liquid diet with the same nutritional composition and energy intake for three weeks. After the end of the  period, a solid diet was given to all the groups and the time required to finish a meal, electromyographic activity of the masseter muscle, and the weight of the mastication-related muscle groups were measured.

Results: During the acclimation period, no significant differences in terms of energy intake and body weight changes were observed among the groups. In the Continuous Stomach Tube Feeding Group, the time required to finish a solid diet was significantly longer than in the other groups. Compared to the Solid Diet Group, the muscle activity until finishing the meal was significantly higher in the Liquid Diet Group and the Continuous Stomach Tube Feeding Group. As for the weight of the mastication-related muscles, the weight of the masseter muscle was significantly lower in the Liquid Diet Group compared to the other groups. The weight of the temporal muscle was significantly lower in the Liquid Diet Group and Continuous Stomach Tube Feeding Group compared to the Solid Diet Group.

Conclusion: The present study showed that a three-week nutritional intake feeding regimen subsequently affects mastication activity and the weight of mastication-related muscles.

Disclosure of Interest: A. Honjo Other: an employee of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc., K. Abe Other: an employee of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc., I. Yamaoka Other: an employee of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc.