Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 29, 2026

Minimally Invasive Murine Laryngoscopy for Close-Up Imaging of Laryngeal Motion During Breathing and Swallowing
Published on: December 1, 2023
Protecting the airway during swallowing: what is the role for afferent surveillance?
1Departments of Neurology and Physiology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA. David.Paydarfar@umassmed.edu
Abstract:
Mechanoreceptors are ubiquitous throughout the upper aerodigestive tract and provide spatiotemporal information on movement and stretch of muscles and connective tissues involved in feeding. Experimental studies in humans suggest that upper airway sensory signals provide important tonic and kinesthetic feedback to central neural circuits underlying upper airway perception and laryngeal closure during swallowing. These circuits include brainstem and cortical feedforward loops that facilitate swallowing function. A clinical implication of this organization is the potential to harness the sensory system for enhancing laryngeal closure during swallowing. Therapeutic sensory stimulation is a promising method for treating dysphagia and preventing aspiration pneumonia in patients with cortical lesions.
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