A new and portable electronic device called the ''Digital Phagometer''
is described for the time-based counting of spontaneous swallowing. T
his device is composed of a piezoelectric sensor and a digital event c
ounter/recorder which can be downloaded to any IBM-compatible PC. The
sensor of Digital Phagometer is placed and fixed on the coniotomy regi
on between the cricoid and thyroid cartilage. In this way, it is capab
le of sensing each upward and downward movement of the larynx produced
by spontaneous movement as a function of time. Spontaneous swallowing
was measured 1-4 h after lunch in 21 normal subjects and 21 patients
with Parkinson's disease (PD). The mean frequency of spontaneous swall
owing was 0.8 counts/min in PD patients and 1.18 counts/min in normal
subjects (p < 0.05). During the intake of 200 ml water, the mean frequ
ency of voluntary swallowing did not differ significantly between the
two groups (24.6 counts/min in normals vs. 22.3 counts/min in PD patie
nts), but the time necessary to swallow the same volume of water was l
onger in the PD group.