Objective: We aimed to investigate whether chewing and swallowing difficulties are associated with changes in cortical thickness.

Background: Chewing and swallowing difficulties are a common debilitating feature of Parkinson’s disease but is unclear which neuronal network are involved.

Method: Using the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative database, 334 early de novo Parkinson’s disease patients with, and 50 early de novo patients without chewing and swallowing difficulties were identified. Differences in cortical thickness between patients with and without chewing and swallowing difficulties were investigated. Chewing and swallowing difficulties were identified using the SCOPA-AUT. Vertex-by-vertex whole brain estimates of cortical thickness were automatically calculated using FreeSurfer. Differences in cortical thickness were determined using a general linear model design.

Results: Early de novo Parkinson’s disease patients with chewing and swallowing difficulties had significantly lower cortical thickness in the isthmus cingulate (P=0.005) gyrus compared to those without chewing and swallowing difficulties. Worse chewing and swallowing difficulties were correlated with lower cortical thickness the isthmus cingulate gyrus (r=0.651, P<0.05).

Conclusion: Chewing and swallowing difficulties in early Parkinson’s disease are associated with changes in cortical thickness in the isthmus cingulate gyrus. This area is involved in the motor control of swallowing and motor recovery after stroke. The cortical thinning of this area might be critical for the development of dysphagia in Parkinson’s disease. *This abstract was also submitted for presentation at the 2019 European Academy of Neurology conference

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/neuronal-network-underlying-dysphagia-in-parkinsons-disease/