Clinical determinants and neural correlates of presbyphagia in community-dwelling older adults

Abstract

Swallowing alterations frequently occur in otherwise healthy older adults and are associated with decreased nutritional status. Increased sensorimotor cortical activation may constitute a compensation attempt to uphold swallowing function due to sensory decline. Further studies are needed to clarify whether the swallowing alterations observed can be considered physiological <i>per se</i> or whether the concept of presbyphagia may need to be extended to a theory with a continuous transition between presbyphagia and dysphagia.