Age-related blood flow changes in the rat intrinsic laryngeal muscles.
CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that a deceased laryngeal blood flow (BF) could be one contributing factor to age-related phonatory and airway dysfunction.


OBJECTIVE
Studies of non-laryngeal muscles suggest that decreased BF may contribute to an age-related decline in muscle performance. We hypothesized that there is an age-related BF decrease to the intrinsic laryngeal muscles.


METHODS
Intrinsic laryngeal muscle BF was measured in young (3-6 months old; n=11) and old (28-30 months old; n=21) male Fischer 344 rats during quiet respiration using the radiolabeled microsphere technique.


RESULTS
BF to the posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) was very high even during this submaximal recruitment, consistent with its specialization for oxidative metabolism and fatigue resistance. The results demonstrated significant (p<0.05) age-related BF decreases in the thyroarytenoid (young, 163; old, 64 ml/min/100 g), cricothyroid (young, 104; old, 52 ml/min/100 g), and PCA (young, 404; old, 235 ml/min/100 g).
Lyon
Michael J
MJ
Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA. lyonm@upstate.edu
Malmgren
Leslie T
LT
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D007821:Laryngeal Muscles / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008863:Microspheres; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012016:Reference Values; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology
D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes