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The Role of Chemosenses in Swallowing Disorders Across the Lifespan

  • Published:
Chemosensory Perception

Abstract

Introduction

The act of swallowing saliva or food/liquid is a complex motor-sensory event that occurs for most people without any thought or concern. However, for individuals who are born with or acquire dysphagia (swallowing impairment), swallowing can be frightening, painful, difficult, and/or life-threatening.

Methods

While it is well known that the physical and chemical composition of food and liquids can alter its acceptance and consumption, the role that these properties play in dysphagia is just beginning to be studied.

Results

Taste, smell, and oral touch are integral sensory systems of deglutition. These inputs are crucial for infants/children who are learning to safely chew and swallow increasingly more complex food textures. These sensory inputs are equally important for adults who may have acquired sensorimotor impairments due to trauma, cancer, or neurologic disease. This article describes how swallowing physiology and anatomy change from infancy to adulthood and how the attributes of food and liquids influence swallowing safety.

Conclusions

The manipulation of the taste/smell and physical properties of food and liquids in the treatment of dysphagia is an intriguing area of new research currently underway.

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Compliance with Ethical Requirements

Conflict of Interest

Cathy Pelletier declares she has no conflict of interest.

Donna Scarborough declares she has no conflict of interest.

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Miami University, 26 Bachelor Hall, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA

    Donna R. Scarborough

  2. Charlestown Community, Inc., Rehabilitation Manager, 715 Maiden Choice Lane, Catonsville, MD, 21228, USA

    Cathy Pelletier

Authors
  1. Donna R. Scarborough
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  2. Cathy Pelletier
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Donna R. Scarborough.

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Scarborough, D.R., Pelletier, C. The Role of Chemosenses in Swallowing Disorders Across the Lifespan. Chem. Percept. 8, 126–130 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12078-015-9184-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12078-015-9184-9

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