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Suckling, Feeding, and Swallowing: Behaviors, Circuits, and Targets for Neurodevelopmental Pathology

Thomas M Maynard1, Irene E Zohn2,3, Sally A Moody4

  • 1Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia 24016, USA;

Annual Review of Neuroscience
|February 27, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Perinatal dysphagia, or disrupted infant feeding and swallowing, signals underlying neurodevelopmental issues. This early sign indicates problems with brain development that can affect various behaviors later in life.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Mammalian survival depends on innate suckling, swallowing, and chewing behaviors.
  • Optimal feeding and swallowing require coordinated development of oral structures and cranial nerves.
  • Perinatal dysphagia is linked to neurodevelopmental disorders and altered complex behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the link between perinatal dysphagia and neurodevelopmental disorders.
  • To explore the role of oropharyngeal and cranial nerve development in feeding behaviors.
  • To determine if perinatal dysphagia is an early indicator of broader developmental deficits.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of developmental pathways in mammals.
  • Examination of cranial nerve and oropharyngeal structure differentiation.
  • Correlation of feeding/swallowing disruptions with neurodevelopmental pathology.

Main Results:

  • Neurodevelopmental disorders frequently involve aberrant oropharyngeal and cranial nerve development.
  • Altered developmental mechanisms (patterning, progenitor specification, neurite growth) precede dysphagia.
  • Dysphagia can compromise neural circuits essential for other behaviors.

Conclusions:

  • Perinatal dysphagia is an early sign of disrupted developmental programs.
  • These disruptions impact neural circuits, leading to diverse behavioral deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders.
  • Understanding dysphagia's origins can inform early diagnosis and intervention strategies.

Keywords:
cranial nervesdysphagianeurodevelopmental disordersoropharyngeal developmentsuckling

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