Swallowing alterations in subjects with alzheimer's disease

OBJECTIVES: The main aim of this study is to identify alterations in the swallowing process, mostly found in Alzheimer's disease subjects, through Videofluoroscopy exam. METHODS: The data have been collected from the data bank of the Speech Pathology Section in HCPF hospital, from June/07 to February/11. Twenty-four exams were selected with Alzheimer's disease being the basic pathology. The exams were performed offering liquid and pasty consistencies to the subjects, and then analyzing oral and pharyngeal phases in the lateral position. RESULTS: From the 24 exams with pasty consistency, 4 (16.7%) did not swallow, and 2 (8.3%) presented great difficulty to swallow this consistency; thus, 18 subjects (75%) underwent the exam with both consistencies. In the swallowing oral phase, 17 subjects (94.4%) presented more alterations in the reduction of undulatory movement of the tongue (UMT) with liquids, and 23 subjects (95.8%) with pasty food. In the pharyngeal swallowing phase with liquids the main alterations were in the residues in phraryngeal recess in 18 subjects (100%), and in the swallowing with pasty consistency the more common alterations were swallowing reaction and residues in phraryngeal recess in 19 subjects (95%). CONCLUSION: The results found allow us to evidence that the mostly significant alterations in the swallowing function on patients with Alzheimer's disease are presented in the oral phase, when most subjects keep the substance in the oral cavity for a long period of time, allowing early posterior escape to the pharynges, being followed by late swallowing reaction and consequently, residues in phraryngeal recess.