An Analysis of Lingual Contribution to Submental Surface Electromyographic Measures and Pharyngeal Pressure During Effortful Swallow

Huckabee M-L, Steele CM. An analysis of lingual contribution to submental surface electromyographic measures and pharyngeal pressure during effortful swallow.ObjectiveTo evaluate the influence of tongue-to-palate pressures on submental muscle contraction and oral and pharyngeal pressure dynamics during effortful swallowing maneuver.DesignComparative analysis of 2 task strategies on biomechanic measures of swallowing.SettingResearch laboratory in a free-standing research facility.ParticipantsConsecutive volunteer sample of 20 healthy participants (age range, 20−35y).InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresPeak amplitude of submental surface electromyography and orolingual and pharyngeal manometric pressure at 4 locations.ResultsGeneral linear model analysis of variance revealed statistically significant greater amplitudes for the tongue emphasis condition of effortful swallow at all measured sensors (P<.004).ConclusionsTongue-to-palate emphasis during execution of effortful swallowing increases amplitudes of submental surface electromyography, orolingual pressure, and upper pharyngeal pressure to a greater degree than a strategy of inhibiting tongue-to-palate emphasis.