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Coordination of Deglutition and Respiration

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Principles of Deglutition

Abstract

Respiratory–swallowing coordination is vital for airway protection and other aspects of swallowing function. Perturbations in coordinative mechanisms have been linked to disordered swallowing in susceptible patients. We provide a general overview of respiratory–swallowing interactions in adults discussing neural control systems, reconfigurations of shared muscle systems, timing of the initiation of swallowing processes within the respiratory cycle, disorders of coordination and potential mechanisms, and directions of future clinical and basic research. Importance is given to the normal timing of the initiation of swallowing during the expiratory phase of the breathing cycle at mid to low lung volumes. The airway protection and potential mechanical advantages of this coordinative relationship are highlighted. Potential differences in coordinative synchrony related to task and subject factors are reviewed and set the stage for additional experimental inquiry. Future directions related to re-training of appropriate respiratory–swallowing mechanisms to improve swallowing function disrupted by various clinical pathologies are introduced.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Rutledge Avenue, MSC 550, Charleston, SC, 29424, USA

    Bonnie Martin-Harris PhD, CCC-SLP, BRS-S, ASHA Fellow

  2. École d’orthophonie et d’audiologie, Faculté de médicine, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, Canada, H3C 2J7

    David H. McFarland PhD

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  1. Bonnie Martin-Harris PhD, CCC-SLP, BRS-S, ASHA Fellow
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  2. David H. McFarland PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bonnie Martin-Harris PhD, CCC-SLP, BRS-S, ASHA Fellow .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Div. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Medical College of Wisconsin, West Wisconsin Avenue 9200, Milwaukee, 53226, Wisconsin, USA

    Reza Shaker

  2. , Dpt Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surg., UC Davis Medical Center, Stockton Blvd. 2521, Sacramento, 95817, California, USA

    Peter C. Belafsky

  3. Ctr for Voice, Airway & Swallowing Disor, Department of Otolaryngology, Georgia Health Sciences University, 15th Street 1120, Augusta, 30912, Georgia, USA

    Gregory N. Postma

  4. , Dpt of Communication Sciences & Disorder, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, East Hartford Ave 2400, Milwaukee, 53201, Wisconsin, USA

    Caryn Easterling

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Martin-Harris, B., McFarland, D.H. (2013). Coordination of Deglutition and Respiration. In: Shaker, R., Belafsky, P., Postma, G., Easterling, C. (eds) Principles of Deglutition. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3794-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3794-9_3

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-3794-9

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