title: Dysphagia in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate electrophysiological parameters of swallowing in all stages of Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty Alzheimer's disease patients, 20 age-matched normal controls and 20 young normal controls were included. Dysphagia limit (DL) and sequential water swallowing (SWS) tests were performed. Cardiac rhythm, respiration and sympathetic skin responses were concomitantly recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dysphagia was found in 30/40 (75%) of Alzheimer's disease patients. Mean volume at the DL test was significantly reduced (16.5±1.0mL) in the Alzheimer's disease group. Swallowing and apnea times in the SWS test were significantly prolonged in elderly controls, but even longer in Alzheimer's disease patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alzheimer's disease patients had electrophysiological features of dysphagia, even in the early period of disease. The cortical involvement and severity of cognitive disorder can increase swallowing problems, but subclinical signs of dysphagia may be observed even in patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Basın Sitesi, 35360 Izmir, Turkey. Electronic address: ysecil@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yaprak
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seçil
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Basın Sitesi, 35360 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Şehnaz
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Arıcı
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Basın Sitesi, 35360 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tülay Kurt
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: İncesu
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Basın Sitesi, 35360 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nevin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gürgör
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Basın Sitesi, 35360 Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yeşim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Ege University Medical School Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cumhur
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ertekin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications*; D001049:Apnea / Q000503:physiopathology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012119:Respiration; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Deglutition; Dementia; Déglutition; Démence; Electrophysiology; Maladie d’Alzheimer; Swallowing; Électrophysiologie