Tongue Motor Recruitment During Exercise

Study Summary

The prevalence of dysphagia may be as high as 22% in individuals over 50 years of age. There are few therapeutic options offered to these individuals. One more recent therapeutic option is Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST), which has been used successfully to maintain or increase expiratory force generating pressures, cough function, and swallowing in a number of disease populations. Recently, the investigators have noted improvements in oral transit time during swallowing in individuals with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) that could potentially be attributed to improved base of tongue functioning and muscle activation. There has been one study that demonstrated that breathing training resulted in increased and prolonged submental (under the chin) muscle activation as evidenced by surface electromyography. However, no studies have investigated the activation of the tongue muscles during various swallowing and breathing exercises. A small needle electrode (fine wire EMG) is standard of care in diagnosing muscular diseases because it can determine amount of muscle recruitment for muscles throughout the body. This aim of this research study is to examine the effects of breathing exercises and swallowing exercises on tongue muscle activity in healthy adults.

Primary Outcome

Electromyography (EMG) activity will be recorded via standard concentric needle electrodes inserted into the genioglossus muscle. Maximum muscle activation will be recorded and analyzed to determine difference between tasks using the genioglossus muscle.

Interventions

• PROCEDURE Electromyography
• PROCEDURE Maximum expiratory pressure
• PROCEDURE Videofluoroscopy
• BEHAVIORAL Swallowing Tasks