Is there a relationship between a Alzheimer and difficulty swallowing?

Answer by  bubbyboy (9929)

It can be. With Alzheimers you will forget how to do even the smallest things. When a patient gets like that, they usually need a feed tube.

Answer by  Elle (648)

Yes there is a relationship - as Alzheimer's disease progress, more and more brain cells are destroyed - memory cells are destroyed and your mom will forget how to do things and swallowing is one of those skills that are lost in the late stages. Tube feeding is used to provide nutrition and prevent aspiration of food/pneumonia

Answer by  Melissa101010 (4405)

There is no relationship between alzheimer and difficulty swallowing. The person with alzheimers may think that they can not swallow because they forget everything all of the time and do not remember to swallow.

Answer by  sarah0045 (186)

Alzheimer's affects many of the cells in the brain that are responsible for routine behaviours. It is unclear whether difficulty swallowing is due to the destruction of neurons in the motor cortex of the brain that are involved in swallowing, or maybe the difficulty swallowing arises from just old age.

Answer by  juanita57 (1374)

I could see that it would be tied together. Alzheimer's affects your mind and you could forget how to use your muscles to swallow. This is so sad and I pray that your mom will get better.

Answer by  Taran (716)

Alzheimer's disease involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, language,ability to reason, remember, speak, calculations, and routine tasks. Healthy individuals follow each swallow with exhalation. This assures there is sufficient air pressure below the vocal folds during a swallow and prevents inhalation of food after swallowing.

Answer by  arthi (336)

Alzheimer's disease is a disorder which causes mental deterioration in the middle age or in old age. But there is no relationship as you had referred. However if there is difficulty in swallowing that could be due to her age or due some other problem. You can take help of medical expert