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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., Author(s): Mitchell D. Reed [sup.1] , Mason English [sup.1] , Connor English [sup.1] , Alyssa Huff [sup.1] [sup.2] , Ivan Poliacek [sup.3] [sup.4] , M. Nicholas Musselwhite [sup.3] , Dena [...]

Purpose Airway protective behaviors, like cough and swallow, deteriorate in many populations suffering from neurologic disorders. While coordination of these behaviors has been investigated in an animal model, it has not been tested in humans. Methods We used a novel protocol, adapted from previous work in the cat, to assess cough and swallow independently and their coordination strategies in seven healthy males (26 ± 6 years). Surface electromyograms of the submental complex and external oblique complex, spirometry, and thoracic and abdominal wall kinematics, were used to evaluate the timing of swallow, cough, and breathing as well as lung volume (LV) during these behaviors. Results Unlike the cat, there was significant variability in the cough-swallow phase preference; however, there was a targeted LV range in which swallow occurred. Conclusion These results give insight into the differences between the cat and human models in airway protective strategies related to the coordination of cough and swallow behaviors, allowing for better understanding of dystussia and dysphagia., Author(s): Alyssa Huff [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , Mitchell D. Reed [sup.2] [sup.3] , Barbara K. Smith [sup.4] , Edward H. Jr. Brown [sup.2] [sup.3] , Alexander V. Ovechkin [sup.1] [sup.2] [...]