Absence of the LAR and impaired pharyngeal squeeze puts patients with dysphagia at high risk for laryngeal penetration and aspiration compared with patients with an intact LAR and intact pharyngeal squeeze. There is a strong association between motor and sensory deficits in the laryngopharynx.

Patients with severely diminished laryngopharyngeal sensation and pharyngeal motor function are at an extremely high risk of aspirating thin liquids (100%). Moderate sensory deficits only appear to influence the prevalence of thin liquid aspiration in the presence of pharyngeal motor dysfunction. Severe laryngopharyngeal sensory deficits are associated with the aspiration of thin liquids regardless of the integrity of pharyngeal motor function. We assume that all persons with an insensate laryngopharynx aspirate thin liquids until proved otherwise. These results emphasize the relationship between laryngopharyngeal sensation and pharyngeal motor function in the evaluation of patients for suspected aspiration.