Spontaneous swallowing frequency in the evaluation of swallowing function

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Clinical Medicine
• Biomarkers

Background:

• Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) is a prevalent, underdiagnosed condition linked to severe health issues like malnutrition and increased mortality.
• Spontaneous swallowing frequency (SSF) is emerging as a potential noninvasive biomarker for dysphagia screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current understanding of SSF in healthy individuals and patients with OD.
• To explore the physiological and neurological underpinnings of SSF.
• To examine measurement techniques and the diagnostic/therapeutic implications of SSF.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of literature from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (1965-2023).
• Focus on studies relevant to SSF, OD, and related neurological conditions (stroke, Parkinson's disease, head and neck cancer, cerebral palsy).
• Selection based on relevance, novelty, and methodological rigor, emphasizing recent advancements.

Main Results:

• SSF is influenced by various neurological conditions affecting swallowing.
• Multiple techniques exist for measuring SSF, including acoustic, electromyography, and accelerometry.
• SSF has potential diagnostic value, particularly when combined with AI.

Conclusions:

• SSF shows potential as a tool for assessing brainstem function and identifying dysphagia.
• Standardization and large-scale validation are critical for widespread clinical adoption.
• SSF may enhance early and accurate management of OD in the future.