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Deglutition and respiratory patterns during sleep in the aged
Kiminori Sato1, Shun-Ichi Chitose1, Kiminobu Sato1
1a Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery , Kurume University School of Medicine , Kurume , Japan.
Acta Oto-Laryngologica
|July 12, 2016
Summary
Swallowing during sleep is very rare in older adults, occurring infrequently and often linked to brief awakenings. These unique deglutition patterns highlight changes in sleep-related swallowing in the aged.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sleep Medicine
- Physiology
Background:
- Swallowing function can change with age, potentially impacting sleep quality and safety.
- Understanding deglutition patterns during sleep in healthy older adults is crucial for identifying age-related physiological changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the patterns of deglutition and their relationship with respiratory phases during sleep in healthy aged individuals.
- To characterize the frequency and timing of swallowing events in relation to sleep stages and arousals.
Main Methods:
- Polysomnography and surface electromyography of swallowing muscles (thyrohyoid and suprahyoid) were used.
- Ten healthy aged adults (mean age 71 years) were studied using time-matched digital recordings.
- Swallowing events were analyzed in conjunction with sleep stages (REM, non-REM, deep sleep) and electroencephalographic (EEG) arousals.
Main Results:
- Deglutition was extremely infrequent during sleep, with a median of 0.6 swallows per hour.
- The longest period without swallowing averaged 134.8 minutes.
- Most swallows occurred with spontaneous EEG arousals and were less frequent in deeper sleep stages; no deglutition occurred during deep sleep.
Conclusions:
- Swallowing during sleep is significantly infrequent and exhibits distinct patterns in the aged population.
- Deglutition frequency is inversely related to sleep depth and often associated with sleep arousals.
- These findings suggest unique physiological adaptations in swallowing control during sleep in older adults.
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