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The Role of the Cerebellum in Control of Swallow: Evidence of Inspiratory Activity During Swallow

  • RESPIRATORY PHYSIOLOGY
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Abstract

Anatomical connections are reported between the cerebellum and brainstem nuclei involved in swallow such as the nucleus tractus solitarius, nucleus ambiguus, and Kölliker-fuse nuclei. Despite these connections, a functional role of the cerebellum during swallow has not been elucidated. Therefore, we examined the effects of cerebellectomy on swallow muscle recruitment and swallow–breathing coordination in anesthetized freely breathing cats. Electromyograms were recorded from upper airway, pharyngeal, laryngeal, diaphragm, and chest wall muscles before and after complete cerebellectomy. Removal of the cerebellum reduced the excitability of swallow (i.e., swallow number), and muscle recruitment of the geniohyoid, thyroarytenoid, parasternal (chestwall), and diaphragm muscles, but did not disrupt swallow–breathing coordination. Additionally, diaphragm and parasternal muscle activity during swallow is reduced after cerebellectomy, while no changes were observed during breathing. These findings suggest the cerebellum modulates muscle excitability during recruitment, but not pattern or coordination of swallow with breathing.

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Acknowledgements

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institutes of Health HL111215 (TP), NS110169 (TP and DRH), HL103415 (DCB), HL1311716 (DCB), and ODO23854 (DCB). The Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation, Research and Development RCSB92495 (DRH), the Rebecca F. Hammond Endowment (DRH), the Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Trust, the Commonwealth of Kentucky Challenge for Excellence (TP and DRH), and the Craig F. Neilsen Foundation CNF546714 (TP and DRH).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurological Surgery and Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center, College of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA

    Mitchell D. Reed, Mason English, Connor English, Alyssa Huff, Dena R. Howland & Teresa Pitts

  2. Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA

    Alyssa Huff

  3. Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Ivan Poliacek, M. Nicholas Musselwhite & Donald C. Bolser

  4. Institute of Medical Biophysics, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovakia

    Ivan Poliacek

  5. Research Service, Robley Rex Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Louisville, KY, USA

    Dena R. Howland

Authors
  1. Mitchell D. Reed
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  2. Mason English
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  3. Connor English
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  4. Alyssa Huff
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  5. Ivan Poliacek
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  6. M. Nicholas Musselwhite
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  7. Dena R. Howland
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  8. Donald C. Bolser
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  9. Teresa Pitts
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Teresa Pitts.

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Reed, M.D., English, M., English, C. et al. The Role of the Cerebellum in Control of Swallow: Evidence of Inspiratory Activity During Swallow. Lung 197, 235–240 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-018-00192-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-018-00192-2

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