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Changes in the coordination between respiration and swallowing from suckling through weaning
Laura E Bond1, Christopher J Mayerl1, Bethany M Stricklen1
1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), Rootstown, OH, USA.
Biology Letters
|April 9, 2020
Summary
Weaning alters how mammals coordinate breathing and swallowing. This study in piglets reveals distinct changes in this coordination for liquid versus solid foods during the weaning transition.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Developmental Biology
- Comparative Medicine
Background:
- Mammalian development involves weaning from milk to solid food, necessitating significant changes in oropharyngeal function.
- Coordination of swallowing and respiration is vital for airway protection during feeding and matures throughout infancy.
- The impact of weaning on the coordination of respiration and swallowing remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how changes in posture, neural maturation, and food properties during weaning affect the coordination of respiration and swallowing.
- To analyze these effects in a validated infant pig model.
Main Methods:
- Videofluoroscopy synchronized with respiration was used to record seven piglets.
- Data were collected during feeding with liquid milk (bottle and bowl) and solid food (bowl) before and during the weaning period.
Main Results:
- The delay in initiating inspiration after swallowing was unaffected by head position.
- A significant difference was observed in this delay between solid food and bowl drinking at the same developmental stage.
- An increase in the delay was noted over time during bottle feeding, indicating a maturational influence.
Conclusions:
- Significant alterations in aerodigestive coordination occur around the weaning period, creating distinct patterns for liquid and solid food intake.
- The interplay between maturational timelines of oropharyngeal function during weaning may influence behavioral and life-history plasticity.
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