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Animal Models for Dysphagia Studies: What Have We Learnt So Far

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Abstract

Research using animal models has contributed significantly to realizing the goal of understanding dysfunction and improving the care of patients who suffer from dysphagia. But why should other researchers and the clinicians who see patients day in and day out care about this work? Results from studies of animal models have the potential to change and grow how we think about dysphagia research and practice in general, well beyond applying specific results to human studies. Animal research provides two key contributions to our understanding of dysphagia. The first is a more complete characterization of the physiology of both normal and pathological swallow than is possible in human subjects. The second is suggesting of specific, physiological, targets for development and testing of treatment interventions to improve dysphagia outcomes.

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Acknowledgements

The work of the authors has been supported by multiple grants from the NIH over the last 40 years, including AR18140, DC3604, DC6953, DC9980, DE5526, DE 5738, DE7325, and HD8856. We dedicate this paper to our late colleague and mentor Dr. Karen Hiiemae.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, 444272, USA

    Rebecca Z. German & Francois D. H. Gould

  2. Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA

    A. W. Crompton

  3. Division of Physiology, King’s College, Guy’s Campus, London, SE1 9RT, UK

    Allan J. Thexton

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  1. Rebecca Z. German
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Correspondence to Rebecca Z. German.

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German, R.Z., Crompton, A.W., Gould, F.D.H. et al. Animal Models for Dysphagia Studies: What Have We Learnt So Far. Dysphagia 32, 73–77 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-016-9778-7

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