International Journal of Brain and Cognitive Sciences 2016, 5(1): 1-6 DOI: 10.5923/j.ijbcs.20160501.01 Influence of Attention Resource Allocation on Sequential Swallow in Healthy Young Adults Thejaswi Dodderi * , Vaz Larisa Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Nitte Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mangaluru, India Abstract Despite the role of central pattern generator in swallowing, till date, there exists a contributing opinion on involvement of cortical structures. This has lead few researchers to contemplate cortical function involvement while swallowing using behavioral experiments. Hence, the primary focus of the study was to investigate if sharing attention resources affects swallow performance in healthy young adults. A cross sectional study design was adopted involving 30 gender matched healthy adults within 18-23 years of age. 100 ml water swallow test was administered on each subject across two conditions. In the baseline condition, subjects continuously ingested 100 ml luke warm water directly from the rim of 120 ml capacity cup. Based on which, volume/swallow (V/S), time/swallow (T/S) and swallow capacity (SC) indices were obtained. This task was compared with Concurrent Cognitive Task (CCT), which involved performing a cognitive task, namely Visual Feature Scan, simultaneously with 100 ml water swallow test. On comparison, between the two conditions, results revealed decreased V/S with longer T/S and decreased S/C for CCT condition. Statistically significant difference was noted at 95% confidence level when one way ANOVA was applied between the two groups. Collectively the results observed sheds light that allocating attention resources elsewhere hampers swallow performance. Thereby, highlights the existence of overlap between cognitive control and central pattern generator during swallowing. Keywords 100 ml, Thin Liquids, Divided Attention, Cognitive Task, Swallow 1. Introduction Deglutition involves series of complex, co-ordinated neuromuscular process controlled by the brainstem. Despite researchers supporting swallow as a reflexive and/ or automatic behavior, the overlap between higher level processing, like cognition, and central pattern generator is addressed recently ([1]). To define, cognition is an unobservable mental process ([2]). The potential influence of cognition in swallowing was conceived nearly 30 years back, when concepts of oral preparatory phase and lingual-bolus propulsion were rigorously explored ([3]). Owing to this, a newly theorized anticipatory phase was proposed that precedes the traditional four phases of swallowing ([4]). Anticipatory phase explicitly deals with how cognition controls our fine and gross motor neural commands before initiation of oral phase of swallow. To specify the role of anticipatory phase, it imparts selection of food size, type and positioning of food into the oral cavity, all critical to trigger sequential oral preparatory and oral phase of swallowing ([3], [4]). Since this corresponds to voluntary aspects of swallow, that are channelled by cortical and basal ganglia * Corresponding author: thejaswi07@gmail.com (Thejaswi Dodderi) Published online at http://journal.sapub.org/ijbcs Copyright © 2016 Scientific & Academic Publishing. All Rights Reserved neural activity, one can arrive at the conclusion that its neural control may not completely reside at the central pattern generator ([5]). Apparently, the efficiency of anticipatory phase is dependent upon the amount of attention resources allocated by an individual, thereby making it sensitive to interference. Over the years several researchers have addressed that, during swallow, cortical areas get activated along with central pattern generator. Collectively, numerous neuro-imaging studies evidences activation of cortical areas that associates with control over attention resources ([1], [6], [7]). Though each technique has its boon, disadvantages like lack of temporal sensitivity, lack of resolution, radiation exposure and risk of seizures has led to many clinical modifications ([8-11]). Following these evidences, but overcoming the banes, researchers have explored with the focus of finding an answer to the research question ‘How cognition influences swallow?’ using behavioral tasks. This steered the genesis of behavioral experiment “Dual Task Paradigm” and/ or “Concurrent Cognitive Task” ([12-14]). The primary assumption of these tasks is the shared neural substrates, if any, will lead to decrease in either and/ or both the tasks performance. Typically, this is monitored by comparing isolated swallow performance with CCT. To observe swallowing aspects, typically, one continuously ingests a pre-determined quantity of thin liquids. This format is followed to monitor the sequential swallow or one’s