• Y Q Zhou and J Y Ye.
• Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China.
• Zhonghua Er Bi Yan Hou Tou Jing Wai Ke Za Zhi. 2018 Jan 7; 53 (1): 70-72.

AbstractUpper airway patency closely contact with neuromuscular airway regulation during respiratory, especially the activity of the pharyngeal dilators. The genioglossus is the largest pharyngeal dilators with its contraction playing the most important role in keeping the pharyngeal airway open. In healthy individuals, genioglossus activation shows a negative correlation with pharyngeal collapsibility and upper airway resistance. Negative pressure during inspiration can stimulate airway mechanoreceptors to produce a muscle reflex activity. However, in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, the muscles cannot always compensate for the increased mechanical load, resulting in frequent obstructive breathing events. A number of studies have shown that the collapsibility of upper airway during sleep in OSA patients is closely related to the activity of genioglossus electromyography(GGEMG). The present article describes the current understanding regarding the characters of GGEMG during sleep in healthy adults, as well as the pathophysiology of GGEMG in OSA patients.

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