Dynamics of swallowing was investigated in five subjects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The data were obtained from simultaneous recordings for four-chan-nel electromyography and fluoroscopic X-ray video-recording. The muscles investiga- ted were the genioglossus geniohyoid, thyrohyoid, thyroarytenoid, thyropharyngeal and cricopharyngeal muscles.
Movements of the food channel, including elevation of the larynx, supraglottal clsure, and opening and closing of the hypopharynx were graphically shown as a function of time. Movements of the tip and the end of bolus were also investigated. All these movements were related to the muscular activity. The results were compared with those from normal subjects which had been reported.
The results are summarized as follows:
1. Among the muscles investigated, the genioglossus and geniohyoid muscles show abnormal activation during the oral stage of swallowing. Once the pharyngeal stage of swallowing starts, all the muscles investigated present a normal kinesiological pattern, although their contraction seems to be weaker than in normal. This indicates that the reflex mechanism for the pharyngeal stage of deglutition is hardly affected by the pathology of ALS.
2. The transport of the bolus from the oral cavity into the pharynx is markedly disturbed. This can be attributed chiefly to the paresis and atrophy of the tongue muscles. The passage of the bolus within the pharynx is also significantly delayed, and a part of the bolus stays in the vallecula and the hypopharynx even of ter the end of the muscular exertion of the pharyngeal stage. It enters into the larynx when the larynx stops closing, resulting in aspiration. The stagnation of the bolus in the pharynx is caused mainly by the weakness of the muscles related.
3. In ALS, difficulty in swallowing is primarily caused by weakness and abnormal kinesiology of the muscles related to the oral stage and weaknes of the muscles participating in the pharyngeal stage. Incoordination of the passage of the bolus and the muscular kinesiology in the pharyngeal stage accelerates the problems.
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