People with ALS had lower maximum tongue pressure than comparison groups
Original source
Comparison of Lingual Pressure Generation Capacity in Parkinson Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and Healthy Aging. (opens in a new tab)Compass summarised this from the study's abstract.
Study details
- Studied in
- Human
In a study of 18 people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), maximum tongue pressure was lower than in 20 people with Parkinson disease and 20 healthy older adults. Pressure during ordinary saliva swallows did not differ significantly between groups. The researchers said further longitudinal studies are needed before tongue-pressure measures can be confirmed as swallowing biomarkers.
Why this matters
The findings may help clinicians assess tongue strength and swallowing function in people with ALS. They do not establish a new treatment or show that measuring tongue pressure improves care.
Limitations and context
This was a small comparison study, and the source does not establish that the measurements predict future swallowing problems. The authors called for longitudinal research to confirm their use as clinical biomarkers.