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Biography

Dr. Robbins' research interests focus on the effects of aging and age-related disease and the relationship between swallowing and speech production (dysarthria). A primary interest is to determine neural plastic effects of behavioral interventions. Her clinical goals are devising age-appropriate interventions to remediate dysphagia when present and to prevent associated medical outcomes including pneumonia, dehydration and malnutrition. In the long term, Dr. Robbins' device goals are for preventative intervention to at least delay dysphagia onset, if not to eliminate it. Dr. Robbins' NIH-, VA- and UW-funded efforts are directed at understanding swallowing kinematic and kinetic aspects of swallowing, including pressures generated and their impact on bolus transit, and food choices throughout the lifespan. Also, her work using videofluoroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging is revealing some of the effects of aging on the relationship between changes in the brain and swallowing physiology. Most recently, her clinical research group is using MRI to quantify muscle in head and neck structures integral to swallowing. Work in this area suggests that sarcopenia, that is age-related loss of muscle mass, occurs in the tongue and may account for some of the age-related swallowing changes found in healthy old individuals. Sarcopenia of head and neck structures may be a big risk factor for dysphagia secondary to the many age-related diseases such as stroke.

Most recently, a project in press (JSLHR) has indicated that dining is indeed an endurance task and tongue pressures toward the end of meal are diminished in young and old adults. These findings have great implications for treatment paradigms being developed.

While Dr. Robbins conducts her own research program and provides guidance for the research component of the Madison Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), she continues a clinical practice at the UW Hospital and Clinics. This UW Swallowing Program is multi-disciplinary, comprising the swallowing clinician, neurologist, gastroenterologist, otolaryngologist, radiologist and nutritionist; it has provided diagnostic and treatment services to a diverse group of thousands of patients with complaints or symptoms of dysphagia.

Specialty: Swallowing/Geriatrics

Clinical Certification: Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP, ASHA)

Medical Interests: Swallowing, Speech Production, Dysarthria

Graduate School: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Postgraduate Education: Postdoctoral Fellowship (NRSA-NIH), Swallowing Physiology

Search for JoAnne Robbins' literature abstracts on PubMed

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