ABEA012 - Healthy Human Adult Laryngopharyngeal Sensory Innervation Density Correlates With Age And Swallow Function
Friday, April 29, 2022
3:18 PM – 3:24 PM CT
Location: Landmark D
Caroline L Cole, Sarah Perry, Victoria X Yu, Anisa Seenauth, Ellen A Lumpkin, Michelle S Troche, Michael J Pitman, Yalda Moayedi
College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY; Laboratory for the Study of Upper Airway Dysfunction, Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY; University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand; Rose Center for Stroke; Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.; Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.; Laboratory for the Study of Upper Airway Dysfunction, Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.; Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States; Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
Medical Student Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons New York, New York
Objective: It is well-known that peripheral somatosensory innervation undergoes age-related decline, but whether this occurs in the laryngopharynx and affects swallowing function is unknown. We hypothesize that somatosensory innervation of the upper airway is necessary for safe and efficient swallowing. To test this, we examine chemo and mechanosensory end organ innervation densities of human laryngopharyngeal tissue across age and compare this to swallowing function.
Method: Participants underwent timed water swallow tests (TWST) and biopsies from base of tongue, lateral and midline pharyngeal wall, epiglottis and arytenoids (20-80 years; N=18, N≥4/site). Tissue sections were labeled with antibodies for βIII-tubulin (βIII, all nerve fibers), Neurofilament Heavy (NFH, myelinated mechanosensory nerve fibers), and Keratin 20 (K20, chemosensory cells) and imaged using confocal microscopy. Densities of dermal innervation, myelinated dermal innervation, solitary chemosensory cells, and taste buds were calculated in ImageJ, and correlated with age, swallowing speed, airway invasion, and urge-to-cough.
Results: Arytenoid had the highest innervation density across all markers and was the primary site to display age-related decline in sensory density (βIII rS=-0.8792, P=0.0003, slope=-0.0444; NFH rS =-0.8687, P=0.0005, slope= -0.06147). Arytenoid dermal NFH density showed a significant positive correlation with volume of liquid swallowed per second (P <0.05, rS=0.6795, slope=2.422) and negative correlation with time per swallow of liquid (P <0.05, rS=-0.6841, slope=-0.152).
Conclusion: Findings demonstrate age-related decline in arytenoid mechanosensory afferent innervation density that appears to relate to swallowing speed. Age-related changes in mechanosensory afferent innervation density of the upper airway may be a contributing factor to presbyphagia.