How Sensory Disruption Affects Swallowing Control
Author Information
Author(s): Inga K Teismann, Olaf Steinstraeter, Kati Stoeckigt, Sonja Suntrup, Andreas Wollbrink, Christo Pantev, Rainer Dziewas
Primary Institution: Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Muenster
Hypothesis
A decrease in cortical beta ERD in swallowing related areas of the somatosensory system is expected due to oropharyngeal anesthesia.
Conclusion
A short-term decrease in oropharyngeal sensory input impedes the cortical control of swallowing.
Supporting Evidence
- Anesthesia caused swallowing difficulties with decreased swallowing speed and reduced volume per swallow in all subjects.
- Normal swallowing revealed bilateral activation of the mid-lateral primary sensorimotor cortex.
- Oropharyngeal anesthesia led to a pronounced decrease of both sensory and motor activation.
Takeaway
When the throat is numbed, it makes it harder for the brain to control swallowing, which can lead to problems.
Methodology
The study used whole-head MEG to analyze cortical activity during swallowing with and without topical oropharyngeal anesthesia.
Limitations
The study was conducted on a small sample size of healthy subjects, which may not represent the broader population.
Participant Demographics
10 healthy right-handed volunteers (7 males and 3 females, age range 22 – 60 years, mean 35.9 years)
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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