title: Quantifying contributions of the cricopharyngeus to upper esophageal sphincter pressure changes by means of intramuscular electromyography and high-resolution manometry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine whether the association between cricopharyngeus muscle activity and upper esophageal sphincter pressure may change in a task-dependent fashion. We hypothesized that more automated tasks related to swallow or airway protection would yield a stronger association than would more volitional tasks related to tidal breathing or voice production.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six healthy adult subjects underwent simultaneous intramuscular electromyography of the cricopharyngeus muscle and high-resolution manometry of the upper esophageal sphincter. Correlation coefficients were calculated to characterize the association between the time-linked series.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cricopharyngeus muscle activity was most strongly associated with upper esophageal sphincter pressure during swallow and effortful exhalation tasks (r = 0.77 and 0.79, respectively; P < .01). The association was also less variable during swallow and effortful exhalation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest a greater coupling for the more automatic tasks, and may suggest less coupling and more flexibility for the more volitional, voice-related tasks. These findings support the important role of central patterning for respiratory- and swallow-related tasks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Corinne A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: McCulloch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D049631:Esophageal Sphincter, Upper / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D010609:Pharyngeal Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D010699:Phonation / Q000502:physiology; D011312:Pressure; D012016:Reference Values; D012119:Respiration; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014836:Volition; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cricopharyngeus; deglutition; electromyography; high-resolution manometry; upper esophageal sphincter