Perception vs Physiology: Assessing the Risk of Dysphagia in Patients With Parkinson’s Disease

People with Parkinson’s disease frequently have swallowing impairments (dysphagia) that may be underestimated by patients themselves but clearly observed on objective tests like videofluoroscopy, revealing delayed airway closure and aspiration not captured by self-report. Dysphagia risk in Parkinson’s is linked to disrupted coordination between breathing and swallowing, leading to unsafe patterns that may contribute to serious complications such as aspiration pneumonia—the leading cause of death in PD—and reduced quality of life. Because patients often compensate or lack awareness of these impairments, clinicians are urged to combine patient/caregiver reports with instrumental assessments to accurately detect and tailor management of dysphagia