Swallowing Dysfunctions in Parkinson's Disease

Dysphagia is a very frequent and highly relevant symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD) for quality of life, morbidity, and remaining lifetime, which is unfortunately widely underdiagnosed and underestimated regarding patients' centered care. Especially in early stages, the causal association between disease and swallowing disabilities remains unnoticed, which may be accounted for by the inability of caregivers and physicians to detect subtle swallowing problems and by the low self-awareness among PD patients. In order to prevent patients from serious negative consequences for health issues (e.g., aspiration pneumonia or malnutrition) as well as for negative impact on their quality of life, it is on the highest importance of managing dysphagia timely and working closely together in a multidisciplinary team, who all are involved in the patients' care system. This chapter includes background information on epidemiology, pathophysiology, and symptomatology of swallowing disorders in PD. This is followed by a summary of the clinical course and health treats, adequate diagnostic procedures for early identification of dysphagia as well as effective treatment strategies. The conclusion provides recommendations for clinical practice routine.