PURPOSE: to investigate differences between electromyographic samples of right and left suprahyoid muscles during deglutition of thickened liquids and liquid consistencies by elderly people with Parkinson disease and elderly people without any neurological disease. METHODS: 30 subjects, from both genders, took part in this study. Fifteen were elderly without neurological disease whereas the others showed Parkinson disease. All of them were submitted to a clinical evaluation protocol and surface electromyography. RESULTS: significant amplitude difference was found between subjects (f=14.4 and p=0.000) and between sides (t=4,4 and p=0.0037). As for muscular contraction time, the differences were just significant between the consistencies (f=8.2 and p=0.005). CONCLUSION: the electromyographic amplitude was shorter for subjects with Parkinson disease and this amplitude was higher in both groups at the right side. The duration of the muscular contraction did not display significant difference between the subjects with Parkinson disease and elderly without neurological disease. This duration was shorter during the deglutition of liquid consistencies.
Electromyography; Deglutition; Parkinson Disease
