Abstract
Movement of a food bolus from the oral cavity into the oropharynx activates pharyngeal sensory mechanoreceptors. Using electroencephalography, somatosensory cortical-evoked potentials resulting from oropharyngeal mechanical stimulation (PSEP) have been studied in young healthy individuals. However, limited information is known about changes in processing of oropharyngeal afferent signals with Parkinson's disease (PD). To determine if sensory changes occurred with a mechanical stimulus (air-puff) to the oropharynx, two stimuli (S1-first; S2-s) were delivered 500ms apart. Seven healthy older adults (HOA; 3 male and 4 female; 72.2±6.9 years of age), and thirteen persons diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD; 11 male and 2 female; 67.2±8.9 years of age) participated. Results demonstrated PSEP P1, N1, and P2 component peaks were identified in all participants, and the N2 peak was present in 17/20 participants. Additionally, the PD participants had a decreased N2 latency and gated the P1, P2, and N2 responses (S2/S1 under 0.6). Compared to the HOAs, the PD participants had greater evidence of gating the P1 and N2 component peaks. These results suggest that persons with PD experience changes in sensory processing of mechanical stimulation of the pharynx to a greater degree than age-matched controls. In conclusion, the altered processing of sensory feedback from the pharynx may contribute to disordered swallow in patients with PD.