Outcomes of tongue-pressure strength and accuracy training for dysphagia following acquired brain injury.

The purpose of this study was to measure treatment outcomes in a group of six adults with chronic dysphagia following acquired brain injury, who each completed 24 sessions of tongue-pressure resistance training, over a total of 11-12 weeks. The treatment protocol emphasized both strength and accuracy. Biofeedback was provided using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument.

Pressure profile similarities between tongue resistance training tasks and liquid swallows.

Tongue-pressure resistance training is known to increase tongue strength in seniors and individuals with stroke-related dysphagia. However, evidence of associated functional improvements in swallowing is equivocal. We investigated similarities in pressure waveform profiles between swallowing and several tongue-palate pressure tasks to identify tasks that may be best suited for inclusion in tongue-pressure resistance training protocols for patients who are unable to safely perform real bolus swallows in treatment.

Voice-quality abnormalities as a sign of dysphagia: validation against acoustic and videofluoroscopic data.

In this study we explored the validity of clinician judgments of voice abnormalities as indicators of penetration-aspiration or other swallowing abnormalities. Voice samples were collected using a high-quality microphone from 40 adults during videofluoroscopy (VFSS), at baseline and following each of four thin liquid swallows. Blinded speech-language pathologists (SLPs) rated the audio recordings for voice quality using the GRBAS scale and the VFSS recordings for abnormal swallow onset, penetration-aspiration, airway closure, and pharyngeal residues.

Tongue pressure modulation during swallowing: water versus nectar-thick liquids.

Purpose: Evidence of tongue-palate pressure modulation during swallowing between thin and nectar-thick liquids stimuli has been equivocal. This mirrors a lack of clear evidence in the literature of tongue and hyoid movement modulation between nectar-thick and thin liquid swallows. In the current investigation, the authors sought to confirm whether tongue-palate pressures are modulated between discrete swallows of water and nectar-thick juice.