title: Components of the acoustic swallowing signal: preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the components of the acoustic signal of swallowing using a specific software.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen healthy subjects ranging in age from 20 to 50 years (mean age 31 ± 10 years), were evaluated. Data collection consisted on the simultaneous capture of the swallowing audio with a microphone and of the swallowing videofluoroscopic image. The bursts of the swallowing acoustic signal were identified and their duration and the interval between them were later analyzed using a specific software, which allowed the simultaneous analyses between the acoustic wave and the videofluoroscopic image.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three burst components were identified in most of the swallows evaluated. The first burst presented mean time of 87.3 milliseconds (ms) for water and 78.2 for the substance. The second burst presented mean time of 112.9 ms for water and 85.5 for the pasty substance. The mean interval between first and second burst was 82.1 ms for water and 95.3 ms for the pasty consistency, and between second and third burst was 339.8 ms for water and 322.0 ms for the pasty consistency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The software allowed the visualization of three bursts during the swallowing of healthy individuals, and showed that the swallowing signal in normal subjects is highly variable.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Engenharia, Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, SP, Brasil. spadotto@gmail.com
authors.forename: André Augusto
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Spadotto
authors.forename: Ana Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Gatto
authors.forename: Paula Cristina
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Cola
authors.forename: Roberta Gonçalves da
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Arthur Oscar
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Schelp
authors.forename: Danielle Ramos
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Domenis
authors.forename: Roberto Oliveira
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Dantas
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000328:Adult; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012984:Software; D014741:Video Recording; D055815:Young Adult