Measurement of pharyngeal sensory cortical processing: technique and physiologic implications.
BACKGROUND
Dysphagia is a major complication of different diseases affecting both the central and peripheral nervous system. Pharyngeal sensory impairment is one of the main features of neurogenic dysphagia. Therefore an objective technique to examine the cortical processing of pharyngeal sensory input would be a helpful diagnostic tool in this context. We developed a simple paradigm to perform pneumatic stimulation to both sides of the pharyngeal wall. Whole-head MEG was employed to study changes in cortical activation during this pharyngeal stimulation in nine healthy subjects. Data were analyzed by means of synthetic aperture magnetometry (SAM) and the group analysis of individual SAM data was performed using a permutation test.


RESULTS
Our results revealed bilateral activation of the caudolateral primary somatosensory cortex following sensory pharyngeal stimulation with a slight lateralization to the side of stimulation.


CONCLUSIONS
The method introduced here is simple and easy to perform and might be applicable in the clinical setting. The results are in keeping with previous findings showing bihemispheric involvement in the complex task of sensory pharyngeal processing. They might also explain changes in deglutition after hemispheric strokes. The ipsilaterally lateralized processing is surprising and needs further investigation.
Teismann
Inga K
IK
Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Muenster, Malmedyweg 15, 48149 Muenster, Germany. i.teismann@uni-muenster.de
Steinstraeter
Olaf
O
Warnecke
Tobias
T
Ringelstein
E Bernd
EB
Pantev
Christo
C
Dziewas
Rainer
R
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D008297:Male; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000502:physiology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000502:physiology*