Aphagia refers to the loss of the ability to
swallow. It's often used to refer specifically to an inability to eat;
adipsia is used for people who cannot drink. Aphagia can result from lesions to
lateral regions of the
hypothalamus, damage to the cranial nerves (particularly the
glossopharyngeal,
hypoglossal, and
vagus), or blockage or constriction of the
esophagus. It is obviously fatal if left untreated; patients who suffer from it must be treated or intubated. In some cases, aphagic patients who try to eat may inhale food into the
trachea and choke or end up with
aspiration pneumonia.