NEUROMUSCULAR CONTROL OF THE PHARYNGEAL AIRWAY

描述(改编自申请人的摘要)：长期 这一提议的目的是检验这样一种假设，即肌肉 舌前伸后缩(颧舌肌和舌下肌/茎舌肌 肌肉)在吸气时被共同激活，而且 共收缩对咽部的维持有重要作用 呼吸道通畅。概念模型是联合收缩过程中 吸气使舌头僵硬，因为对抗对手的肌肉与舌头对抗。 另一种，从而最大限度地减少舌头的向后移位 咽部随后闭塞。重要的新数据显示 呼吸相关的前伸肌和缩肌的共同激活 动物模型，以及最近显示吸气功能改善的证据 阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停患者的共同激活气流， 为这一概念框架提供强有力的支持。因此， 以下具体目标旨在严格测试共同激活 使用麻醉大鼠模型的假说：目标1是证明 舌头的前伸和伸缩肌肉在运动过程中共同激活 呼吸，以及它们对呼吸相关变化的反应相似 刺激物。目标2是展示外在舌头的共同激活 肌肉比独立肌肉更能改善咽部呼吸道力学 前伸肌或伸缩肌的激活目标3是 证明舌肌的初始工作长度将 影响：a)与呼吸有关的舌头运动的大小，b) 舌肌调节咽部气流力学的能力， C)舌肌的疲劳性。这些实验将为 为患有慢性病的人提供新的和改进的治疗策略 阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停或由以下原因引起的其他情况 舌头运动系统出现故障。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the applicant's abstract): The long-term objective of this proposal is to test the hypothesis that the muscles that protrude and retract the tongue (genioglossus and hypoglossus/styloglossus muscles, respectively) are co-activated during inspiration, and that co-contraction contributes significantly to the maintenance of pharyngeal airway patency. The conceptual model is that co-contraction during inspiration stiffens the tongue as the antagonist muscles work against one another, thereby minimizing backward displacement of the tongue and subsequent occlusion of the pharynx. Significant new data showing respiratory-related co-activation of the protrudor and retractor muscles in animal models, as well as recent evidence showing improved inspiratory airflow with co-activation in human subjects with obstructive sleep apnea, provide strong support for this conceptual framework. Accordingly, the following Specific Aims are designed to rigorously test the co-activation hypothesis using an anesthetized rat model: Aim 1 is to demonstrate that the protrudor and retractor muscles of the tongue are co-activated during breathing and that they respond similarly to changes in respiratory related stimuli. Aim 2 is to show that co-activation of the extrinsic tongue muscles will improve pharyngeal airway mechanics more than the independent activation of either the protrudor or retractor muscles. Aim 3 is to demonstrate that the initial operating length of the tongue muscles will influence: a) the magnitude of respiratory related tongue movements, b) the ability of the tongue muscles to modulate pharyngeal airway flow mechanics, c) the fatigability of the tongue muscles. These experiments will lay the foundation for new and improved treatment strategies for persons with obstructive sleep apnea or with other conditions that are caused by malfunction of the tongue motor system.