Faculty Collaboration Database

Cerebral cortical representation of reflexive and volitional swallowing in humans. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2001 Mar;280(3):G354-60

Date

02/15/2001

Pubmed ID

11171617

DOI

10.1152/ajpgi.2001.280.3.G354

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0035000857 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   203 Citations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare cerebral cortical representation of experimentally induced reflexive swallow with that of volitional swallow. Eight asymptomatic adults (24-27 yr) were studied by a single-trial functional magnetic resonance imaging technique. Reflexive swallowing showed bilateral activity concentrated to the primary sensory/motor regions. Volitional swallowing was represented bilaterally in the insula, prefrontal, cingulate, and parietooccipital regions in addition to the primary sensory/motor cortex. Intrasubject comparison showed that the total volume of activity during volitional swallowing was significantly larger than that activated during reflexive swallows in either hemisphere (P < 0.001). For volitional swallowing, the primary sensory/motor region contained the largest and the insular region the smallest volumes of activation in both hemispheres, and the total activated volume in the right hemisphere was significantly larger compared with the left (P < 0.05). Intersubject comparison showed significant variability in the volume of activity in each of the four volitional swallowing cortical regions. We conclude that reflexive swallow is represented in the primary sensory/motor cortex and that volitional swallow is represented in multiple regions, including the primary sensory/motor cortex, insular, prefrontal/cingulate gyrus, and cuneus and precuneus region. Non-sensory/motor regions activated during volitional swallow may represent swallow-related intent and planning and possibly urge.

Author List

Kern MK, Jaradeh S, Arndorfer RC, Shaker R

Authors

Mark K. Kern Research Scientist II in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Reza Shaker MD Assoc Provost, Sr Assoc Dean, Ctr Dir, Chief, Prof in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Analysis of Variance
Brain Mapping
Cerebral Cortex
Cerebrovascular Circulation
Deglutition
Echo-Planar Imaging
Female
Gyrus Cinguli
Humans
Male
Occipital Lobe
Physical Stimulation
Prefrontal Cortex
Reflex
Somatosensory Cortex
Volition