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23-09-2022 | Dysphagia | Original Article

Quantification of the Swallowing Mechanism Through Muscle Synergy Analysis

Authors: Chiaki Murakami, Makoto Sasaki, Shingo Shimoda, Yasushi Tamada

Published in: Dysphagia | Issue 3/2023

Abstract

Decreased swallowing function increases the risk of choking and aspiration pneumonia. Videofluoroscopy and computed tomography allow for detailed observation of the swallowing movements but have radiation risks. Therefore, we developed a method using surface electromyography (sEMG) to noninvasively assess swallowing function without radiation exposure. A 44-channel flexible sEMG sensor was used to measure the sEMG signals of the hyoid muscles during swallowing in 14 healthy young adult and 14 elderly subjects. Muscle synergy analysis was performed to extract the muscle synergies from the sEMG signals, and the three synergies were extracted from the hyoid muscle activities during the swallowing experiments. The experimental results showed that the three synergies represent the oral, early pharyngeal, and late pharyngeal swallowing phases and that swallowing strength is tuned by the strength of the muscle activities, whereas swallowing volume is controlled by adjusting muscle activation timing. In addition, the timing of the swallowing reflex is slower in elderly individuals. The results confirm that the proposed approach successfully quantifies swallowing function from sEMG signals, mapping the signals to the swallowing phases.

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Title: Quantification of the Swallowing Mechanism Through Muscle Synergy Analysis
Authors: Chiaki Murakami
Makoto Sasaki
Shingo Shimoda
Yasushi Tamada
Publication date: 23-09-2022
Publisher: Springer US
Keywords: Dysphagia
Dysphagia
Dysphagia
Published in: Dysphagia / Issue 3/2023
Print ISSN: 0179-051X
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0460
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-022-10523-4

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Quantification of the Swallowing Mechanism Through Muscle Synergy Analysis

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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