Grants
Helping Parkinson’s Patients Swallow Easier
Christine Sapienza
displays the strength
training device she
helped design.
While lodging at a Gainesville hotel during the filming of the hit movie Doc Hollywood in the fall of 1990, actor Michael J. Fox experienced his first symptoms of early onset Parkinson’s disease. Now, 15 years later, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research has awarded UF Communication Sciences and Disorders Professor and Chair Christine Sapienza a $280,000 clinical discovery grant to examine the outcome of a strength-training program on the swallowing muscles of patients with Parkinson’s disease.
“Patients with Parkinson’s have difficulty swallowing and, as the disease progresses, the dysfunction gets worse and worse,” Sapienza says. “When you can’t swallow, you can aspirate—which can lead to a lung infection.” Aspiration pneumonia is the number one cause of death among patients with Parkinson’s, and while medications can help alleviate other symptoms of the illness, they do not substantially improve the muscles involved with swallow function. “While we are waiting for a cure for Parkinson’s, we need to help them deal with swallow dysfunction now and work to improve not only the quality of life, but longevity.”
Sapienza and colleagues Paul Davenport, a professor in the Department of Physiological Sciences, and Danny Martin, a professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, have developed a patent-pending handheld device that trains the expiratory muscles, and have created an accompanying training program that is easy to follow and complete at home. Once participants receive preliminary training on how to use the device, they are free to exercise with it on their own. “You can’t go to the gym and work out your breathing and swallowing muscles,” Sapienza says. “So this is basically a weightlifting device for your respiratory and swallowing muscles.”
From previous research completed by Sapienza and colleagues, the device is already known to improve expiratory muscle strength, toning the muscles needed for exhaling. The new grant will fund a two-year study to document whether the device also cross-trains the suprahyoid muscles used for swallowing.
Using x-ray technology, Sapienza and colleagues at the Gainesville VA Medical Center, Nan Musson and Jay Rosenbek, will record before and after images of participants’ swallow—capturing as many as 60 frames per second—to analyze whether strength training improves their ability to swallow. They will analyze swallow function during a variety of tasks, including the ability to swallow foods of different thicknesses. They also will examine other issues, including variability of swallow function in Parkinson’s disease.
The invention already has been tested on healthy adults, a subset of whom are musicians, as well as those with voice disorders and multiple sclerosis patients. Sapienza hopes, if proven effective, the device will be found applicable to a number of illnesses. “It’s Parkinson’s today, other neurological disorders tomorrow.”
Grants through the Division of Sponsored Research
September 2005: $4,365,289
| BURNS A F | ANT | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $2,000 | GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM - COST OF EDUCATION ALLOWANCE |
| MULLIGAN C J | ANT | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $99,573 | HUMAN DISPERSALS OUT OF AFRICA: MITOCHONDRIAL AND Y CHROMOSOME GENETIC ANALYSIS OF ERITREAN AND OMANI POPULATIONS |
| MULLIGAN C J | ANT | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $25,179 | HUMAN DISPERSALS OUT OF AFRICA: MITOCHONDRIAL AND Y CHROMOSOME GENETIC ANALYSIS OF ERITREAN AND OMANI POPULATIONS |
| SARAJEDINI A | AST | CALIFORNIA INST OF TECHNOLOGY NASA | $52,486 | ANCHORING THE POPULATION II DISTANCE SCALE: ACCURATE AGES FOR GLOBULAR CLUSTERS AND FIELD HALO STARS |
| GE J | AST | NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER | $29,200 | INFRARED SILICON IMMERSION GRATING TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT |
| EIKENBERRY S S | AST | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $101,324 | GRADUATE STUDENT PARTICIPATION AND OPTICS UPGRADES FOR THE CANARIAS INFRERED CAMERA EXPERIMENT |
| SARAJEDINI A | AST | SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INST NASA | $17,044 | THE FORMATION HISTORY OF THE M81 SPHEROID |
| GORDON D R | BOT | DEPT OF AGRICUL & CONSUMER SER | $10,476 | TESTING A PREDICTIVE SCREENING TOOL FOR REDUCING INTRODUCTION OF INVASIVE PLANTS TO FLORIDA - DPI |
| GORDON D R; FOX A M | BOT | DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECT | $26,190 | TESTING A PREDICTIVE SCREENING TOOL FOR REDUCING INTRODUCTIONS OF INVASIVE PLANTS IN FLORIDA |
| MACK M C, CARDELUS C | BOT | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $5,000 | MINORITY POSTDOC FELLOWSHIP 2003: DOES EPIPHYTE FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY AFFECT NUTRIENT PARTITIONING AND RETENTION IN WET |
| SCHUUR E A, SICKMAN J O | BOT | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $594,930 | THE CARBON BALANCE OF ARCTIC TUNDRA IN RESPONSE TO PERMAFROSTHAWING: USING RADIOCARBON TO DETECT THE LOSS OF OLD SOIL |
| GORDON D R, FOX A M | BOT | U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE | $16,364 | TESTING A PREDICTIVE SCREENING TOOL FOR REDUCING INTRODUCTION OF INVASIVE PLANTS TO FLORIDA - AHPIS/PPQ |
| SCHUUR E A | BOT | U S DEPT OF THE INTERIOR NATL PARK SERVICE | $13,500 | DEVELOPMENT OF MONITORING TECHNIQUES TO DETECT CHANGE IN CARBON CYCLING IN RELATION TO THERMOKARST IN NATIONAL PARKS SER |
| WAGENER K B | CHE | CLEMSON UNIVERSITY U S DEPT OF COMMERCE | $39,021 | SURFACE MODIFICATIONS OF CSM FIBERS USING LINEAR AND BRANCHED ADDITIVES |
| BENNER S A | CHE | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $87,240 | NANOSCALE ARRAYS FOR DIRECT RNA PROFILING IN SINGLE CELLS & THEIR COMPARTMENTS |
| TAN W | CHE | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $136,652 | NANOSCALE ARRAYS FOR DIRECT RNA PROFILING IN SINGLE CELLS AND THEIR COMPARTMENTS |
| HORENSTEIN N A | CHE | NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH | $42,676 | TARGETING ALPHA7 NACHR FOR THERAPEUTIC EFFETCS |
| MERZ K M | CHE | NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIGMS - GENERAL MEDICAL SCI | $145,828 | METTALLOENZYME STRUCTURE/FUNCTION |
| RICHARDSON D E | CHE | NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIGMS - GENERAL MEDICAL SCI | $240,765 | THE BIOINORGANIC CHEMISTRY OF NICKEL: THE UREASES |
| KATRITZKY A R | CHE | U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE | $100,000 | STRUCTURE ACTIVITY OF KNOWN ARTHROPOD REPELLENTS USING CODESSA |
| MURPHY C J | FFRI | ALACHUA COUNTY TOURISM | $5,678 | 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY FRENCH AND FRANCOPHONE STUDIES INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM |
| MARTIN J B, SCREATON E J | GEOL | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $149,269 | INTEGRATED PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL OBSERVATIONS OF WATER-ROCK INTERACTIONS AND COUPLE MATRIX-CONDUIT FLOW IN THE KARSTIC |
| MUELLER P A | GEOL | U S DEPT OF THE INTERIOR U S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY | $38,725 | RELATIONSHIP OF LITHOSPHERIC AGE AND COMPOSITION TO MINERAL RESOURCES WITHIN, BENEATH, AND ADJACENT TO THE BELT BASIN |
| MARTCHEVA M, GUILLETTE JR L J | MAT | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $131,270 | IGMS: HOST IMMUNITY AND THE EVOLUTION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES |
| MITSELMAKHER G, KORYTOV A | PHY | FERMILAB U S DEPT OF ENERGY | $19,815 | ENDCAP MUON SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CMS PROJECT FY 2004 |
| MITSELMAKHER G, KORYTOV A | PHY | FERMILAB U S DEPT OF ENERGY | $120,610 | ENDCAP MUON SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CMS PROJECT FY 2004 |
| MITSELMAKHER G, KORYTOV A | PHY | FERMILAB U S DEPT OF ENERGY | $21,178 | ENDCAP MUON SYSTEM BACKPLANE PRODUCTION |
| AVERY P R | PHY | FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIV NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $188,703 | AN INTER-REGIONAL CENTER FOR HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS RESERCH ANDEDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AT FLORDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY |
| TANNER D B | PHY | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION U S DEPT OF ENERGY | $62,192 | INFRARED STUDIES OF CUPRATE SUPERCONDUCTORS |
| HEBARD A F | PHY | NORTH CAROLINA A&T UNIVERSITY NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $39,372 | SYNTHGESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SELF-ASSEMBLED ORDERED NANO ARRAYS FOR MAGNETIC & SUPERCONDUCTING APPLICATIONS |
| CHAN H | PHY | U S DEPT OF ENERGY | $151,608 | CASIMIR FORCES & NON-CONTACT DISSIPATIVE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SURFACES IN MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS |
| HIRSCHFELD P J | PHY | U S DEPT OF ENERGY | $127,567 | GRAINS, WIRES AND INTERFACES OF CUPRATE SUPERCONDUCTORS |
| IWATA B A | PSY | ALACHUA ARC | $361,983 | PRADER-WILLI SYDROME PROGRAM |
| SEVERY L J | PSY | FAMILY HEALTH INTERNATIONAL INTL DEVELOPMENT COOP AGENCY | $255,866 | MICROBICIDE ACCEPTABILITY IN PUNE, INDIA |
| SPECTOR A C, GROBE C L | PSY | NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH | $28,591 | TASTE WORKING MEMORY & DISCRIMINATION: A NEW METHOD |
| SMITH D W | PSY | NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIDCD - DEAFNESS & COMM DISORD | $339,490 | PSYCHOPHYSICAL STUDIES OF COCHLEAR EFFERENT FUNCTION |
| SPECTOR A C, DOTSON C D | PSY | NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIDCD - DEAFNESS & COMM DISORD | $28,583 | MINORITY PREDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM |
| PERZ S G | SOC | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $48,684 | COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: BRAZIL'S DIRECT ACTION LAND REFORM MOVEMENT: ENVIROMENTAL IMPACTS & SOCIO-SPATIAL DYNAMICS |
| PERZ S G, SOUTHWORTH J | SOC | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $77,547 | AGENTS OF CHANGE: INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGE, HUMAN AGENCY, AND RESILIENCE IN SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS |
| PERZ S G, SOUTHWORTH J | SOC | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $18,150 | AGENTS OF CHANGE: INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGE, HUMAN AGENCY, AND RESILIENCE IN SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS |
| DANIELS M J | STA | BROWN UNIVERSITY U S DEPT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SER | $95,187 | ANALYZING COMPLEX LONGITUDINAL DATA IN BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE |
| DANIELS M J | STA | NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIA - NATL INSTITUTE ON AGING | $22,060 | ACE INHIBITION AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE IN AGED RATS |
| BROCKMANN H J, GUNNELS C W | ZOO | ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGCY | $12,540 | ALTERNATIVE REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES AND GROUP DYNAMICS IN A FACULTATIVELY ENSOCIAL PAPER WASP |
| CHAPMAN C A, POULSEN J R | ZOO | ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGCY | $12,312 | SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF HUNTING AND LOGGING ON ANIMAL ABUNDANCE, SEED DISPERSAL, AND FOREST REGENERATION |
| LEVEY D J, CLARK C J | ZOO | ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGCY | $12,312 | EFFECT OF LOGGING ON MECHANISMS THAT LIMIT THE RECRUITMENT OF TROPICAL TREE SPECIES: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MAINTENANCE |
| EVANS D H | ZOO | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $40,598 | BIOCHEMICAL, MOLECULAR AND CELLUALR RESPONSES OF ZEBRAFISH EXPOSED TO METALLIC NANOPARTICLES |
| EVANS D H | ZOO | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $4,000 | INSTITUTIONAL ALLOWANCE: GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM ALLOWANCE |
| HOLT R D | ZOO | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | $77,846 | COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: COEVOLUTON OF HOSTS AND PARASITOIDSWITHIN A GEOGRAPHIC MOSAIC |
| GUILLETTE JR L J, BERMUDEZ D S | ZOO | NATL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NICHD - CHLD HLTH & HUMAN DEV | $27,741 | MINORITY PREDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM |
| BJORNDAL K A, BOLTEN A B | ZOO | U S DEPT OF COMMERCE NATL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE | $50,190 | SEA TURTLE TAG DISTRIBUTION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE COOPERATIVE MARINE TURTLE TAGGING PROGRAM |
| BJORNDAL K A, BOLTEN A B | ZOO | U S DEPT OF THE INTERIOR FISH & WILDLIFE & PARKS | $10,174 | ASSESSMENT OF SE USA NESTING LOGGERHEAD POPULATIONS: IDENTIFICATION OF MGMNT UNITS BASED ON MTDNA SEQUENCE ANALYSES |