DOES AGE OR SEX AFFECT PHARYNGEAL SWALLOWING

The influence of age and gender on the pharyngeal pressure wave during swallowing was investigated in 73 healthy volunteers using a four-sen sor manometry probe. The distal sensor was placed within the upper oes ophageal sphincter (UOS) and three proximal sensors were located in th e pharynx 2.4 and 6 cm above the UOS. Twenty-nine variables describing the amplitude and timing of the swallow waveforms for a 5 ml water bo lus were recorded from the pharynx and the UOS. Analysis of the result s indicated that ageing was associated with slowing of the swallow res ponse in the pharynx, impaired opening of the UOS and a marked reducti on in resting UOS tone.