Abstract
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of oral-motor training with exergames on motor performance and motor skill acquisition in two different age groups.MethodsThirty-two healthy participants were recruited in the current pilot study and divided equally into two groups (Gen Z and Baby Boomers) according to their age. A pair of electromyographic (EMG) electrodes were placed on the participants’ masseter muscles. The EMG device communicated via Bluetooth with a mobile video game in response to the electromyographic activity of the masseter muscles during clenching. During the experimental session, participants were asked to play a video game in five blocks of 5 min each, with a 3-min break between each time block. The goal of the game was to collect as many coins (game points) as possible and to dodge/avoid upcoming obstacles (game life). Motor performance was assessed by performance scores and the number of game lives. Skill acquisition was measured by task efficiency (ratio of performance scores and number of game lives) across time blocks.ResultsThe results of the study showed significantly lower performance scores (p < 0.001), a higher number of game lives (p < 0.001), and lower task efficiency in the Baby Boomer group compared to the Gen Z group. Specifically, the results showed that there was a significant difference in task efficiency between the first and second, third and fourth, fourth- and fifth-time blocks in the Gen Z group (p < 0.002). However, there was only a significant difference between first- and second-time blocks in the Baby Boomer group (p = 1.012), suggesting that skill acquisition in the Baby Boomer group did not change significantly over the course of the time blocks.ConclusionThe study showed higher motor performance and superior motor skill acquisition with novel exergame training in the Gen Z group compared to the Baby Boomer group. The results of the study indicate that there is an improvement in oral motor skills with short-term training, yet the differences in oral motor skills between the two groups are still evident. The Baby Boomer group, unlike the Gen Z group, did not show robust improvement in task efficiency over the course of the series.
Highlights
All 32 participants were able to complete the entire experimental protocol. Both groups were similar in physical characteristics and there was no significant difference in height, weight, and gender distribution between the groups
The Baby Boomer group was in the age range of 55–77 years and performed worse in oral motor training than the younger Gen Z group
The Baby Boomer group showed only a modest effect of training, reflected in a significant difference in task efficiency between the first- and second-time blocks. These results indicate that the Gen Z group showed better task efficiency and a higher skill acquisition compared to the Baby Boomer group
Summary
Good oral health is an important aspect of general health and social well-being (Dörfer et al, 2017; Tran et al, 2018). Oral functions such as chewing, bolus formation, and swallowing are important processes that enable optimal food oral processing. Chewing and swallowing functions depend on the strength of the masticatory, lingual, and other orofacial muscles (Takahashi et al, 2013; Hara et al, 2019). A previous study in the orofacial area showed that the cross-sectional area of the masticatory muscles decreases with age (Daboul et al, 2018). It is suggested that aging and sarcopenia decrease body strength, and (adversely) affect tongue pressure, bite force, and swallowing muscle strength (Machida et al, 2017; Kobuchi et al, 2020). Since bite force and tongue motility are essential factors for masticatory function, aging can have a colossal impact on mastication (Peyron et al, 2017)
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