Brain functional activity of swallowing: A meta‐analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging

• Published in: Journal of oral rehabilitation 2023-02, Vol.50 (2), p.165-175
• Main Authors: Huang, Haiyue, Yan, Jin, Lin, Yinghong, Lin, Jiaxin, Hu, Huimin, Wei, Linxuan, Zhang, Xiwen, Zhang, Qingqing, Liang, Shengxiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: activation likelihood estimation; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain Mapping; Cortex (motor); Deglutition - physiology; Frontal gyrus; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Meta-analysis; Neuroimaging; Saliva; Somatosensory cortex; Swallowing; Temporal cortex; Temporal gyrus; Water
• ISSN: 0305-182X; 1365-2842
• DOI: 10.1111/joor.13397

Background Swallowing is one of the most important activities in our life and serves the dual roles of nutritional intake and eating enjoyment. Objective The study aimed to conduct a meta‐analysis to investigate the brain activity of swallowing. Methods Studies of swallowing using functional magnetic resonance imaging were reviewed in PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP) and Wan Fang before 30 November 2021. Two authors analysed the studies for eligibility criteria. The final inclusion of studies was decided by consensus. An activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta‐analysis of these studies was performed with GingerALE, including 16 studies. Results For swallowing, clusters with high activation likelihood were found in the bilateral insula, bilateral pre‐central gyrus, bilateral post‐central gyrus, left transverse temporal gyrus, right medial front gyrus, bilateral inferior frontal gyrus and bilateral cingulate gyrus. For water swallowing, clusters with high activation likelihood were found in the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus and the left pre‐central gyrus. For saliva swallowing, clusters with high activation likelihood were found in the bilateral cingulate gyrus, bilateral pre‐central gyrus, left post‐central gyrus and left transverse gyrus. Conclusion This meta‐analysis reflects that swallowing is regulated by both sensory and motor cortex, and saliva swallowing activates more brain areas than water swallowing, which would promote our knowledge of swallowing and provide some direction for clinical and other research. The meta‐analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging using activation likelihood estimation method showed that swallowing was regulated by both sensory and motor regions.