INFLUENCE OF NORMAL AGING ON ORAL-PHARYNGEAL AND UPPER ESOPHAGEAL SPHINCTER FUNCTION DURING SWALLOWING

The influence of aging on oral-pharyngeal swallowing was assessed by s imultaneous manometry and videoradiography in 14 nondysphagic elderly individuals (mean age 76 yr) and 11 healthy, young controls (mean age 21 yr). Sphincter opening was diminished significantly in the elderly (P = 0.0001), but trans-sphincteric bolus flow rates were preserved. T he increased impedance to trans-sphincteric bolus flow from reduced sp hincter opening in the aged was reflected in a significant increase in hypopharyngeal intrabolus pressure (P = 0.003). Oral transit time was significantly prolonged in the aged (P = 0.01). The timing of upper e sophageal sphincter (UES) manometric relaxation and of opening was sig nificantly delayed in the aged (P = 0.0001), and this delay was compar able in magnitude to the prolongation in oral transit. Coordination of UES relaxation and opening with midpharyngeal contraction was not sig nificantly affected by age. Deglutitive hyolaryngeal motion was not af fected by age but was delayed by a duration equivalent to the prolonga tion in oral transit. We conclude that normal aging prolongs the oral- pharyngeal swallow that impairs UES opening but does not influence pha ryngo-sphincteric coordination.