Feng HY, Zhang PP, Wang XW. Presbyphagia: Dysphagia in the elderly. World J Clin Cases 2023; 11(11): 2363-2373 [PMID: 37123321 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i11.2363]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Xiao-Wen Wang, PhD, Additional Professor, School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Weifang Medical University, No. 7166 Baotong West Street, Weifang 261021, Shandong Province, China. 1832770656@qq.com
Research Domain of This Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Article-Type of This Article
Review
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Clin Cases. Apr 16, 2023; 11(11): 2363-2373 Published online Apr 16, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i11.2363
Presbyphagia: Dysphagia in the elderly
Hai-Yang Feng, Ping-Ping Zhang, Xiao-Wen Wang
Hai-Yang Feng, Ping-Ping Zhang, Xiao-Wen Wang, School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261021, Shandong Province, China
Author contributions: Feng HY wrote the manuscript; Zhang PP and Wang XW modified the manuscript; The corresponding author, Wang XW, guarantees that all descriptions are accurate and that all authors have agreed to the submission of the present manuscript.
Supported by2021 China Disabled Persons' Federation to Fund Projects, No. 2021CDPFAT-45.
Conflict-of-interest statement: Wang Xiaowen has received research funding from China Disabled Persons' Federation.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Xiao-Wen Wang, PhD, Additional Professor, School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Weifang Medical University, No. 7166 Baotong West Street, Weifang 261021, Shandong Province, China. 1832770656@qq.com
Received: January 17, 2023 Peer-review started: January 17, 2023 First decision: January 31, 2023 Revised: February 8, 2023 Accepted: March 22, 2023 Article in press: March 22, 2023 Published online: April 16, 2023
Abstract
Dysphagia has been classified as a “geriatric syndrome” and can lead to serious complications that result in a tremendous burden on population health and healthcare resources worldwide. A characteristic age-related change in swallowing is defined as “presbyphagia.” Medical imaging has shown some changes that seriously affect the safety and efficacy of swallowing. However, there is a general lack of awareness of the effects of aging on swallowing function and a belief that these changes are part of normal aging. Our review provides an overview of presbyphagia, which has been a neglected health problem for a long time. Attention and awareness of dysphagia in the elderly population should be strengthened, and targeted intervention measures should be actively implemented.
Core Tip: Dysphagia in older people is unfortunately considered a part of aging. Many factors contribute, such as decreased cognitive function, loss of teeth, reduced muscle strength, decreased taste and olfaction, altered salivary secretion, impaired cough and swallowing reflexes, altered hyoid bone and larynx position, reduced laryngeal adductor reflex, decreased tongue root retraction, incomplete esophageal sphincter opening, reduced pharyngeal constriction and sensation, reduced breathing and swallowing coordination, and decreased esophageal motility. Several may be amenable to therapeutic strategies, including rehabilitation, to improve, and even restore swallowing function at the anatomical and physiological levels. Improved screening, clinical assessment, and diagnostic procedures are needed.
