Impact of swallowing and ventilation on oropharyngeal cortical representation.
Our aim was to determine whether ventilation and swallowing tasks can modify oropharyngeal cortical motor organisation. Mylohyoid motor-evoked potentials (MEP) induced by non-focal (NF) and focal (F) magnetic stimulations were recorded in nine healthy volunteers four times, with 1 week between each recording. Baseline values were evaluated and their reproducibility was assessed 1 week later. Thereafter, the subjects were asked to perform swallowing and ventilation tasks in random order 15 min per day for 1 week. The NF MEP amplitudes after the swallowing and ventilation tasks increased after effortful swallows (p<0.001) and ventilation efforts (p<0.001). The F MEP amplitudes obtained after focal cortical stimulations increased after effortful swallows (p<0.01) and ventilation efforts (p<0.05). The cortical magnitude of the oropharyngeal muscle representation increased after swallowing practice (p<0.01). In conclusion, swallowing and ventilation tasks modified the motor cortex of oropharyngeal muscles and should be evaluated for use in rehabilitation strategies.
Department of Physiology, Rouen University Hospital, 1 rue de Germont, 76031 Rouen Cedex, France.
S
S
Gallas
J P
JP
Marie
A M
AM
Leroi
E
E
Verin
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D009055:Mouth / Q000294:innervation*; D010614:Pharynx / Q000294:innervation*; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000502:physiology*; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation