Action Observation Therapy Program in Patients With Neurogenic Dysphagia

NCT05782790 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: ZBEU
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 34
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Swallowing is the delivery of food taken from the mouth to the stomach at an appropriate rate with the sequential movements of the structures in the oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal regions. The change in swallowing function due to structural and functional changes in the structures responsible for swallowing is called swallowing disorder (dysphagia). The treatment of neurogenic dysphagia aims to prevent complications such as dysphagia-related aspiration pneumonia, airway obstructions, and malnutrition, and to regulate swallowing physiology. Swallowing rehabilitation created for this purpose consists of compensatory techniques and rehabilitation methods. Compensatory techniques include changing the consistency and properties of food, postural changes, and increasing voluntary control. Rehabilitation methods consist of exercise-based methods such as oral motor exercises, Shaker exercises, and tongue strengthening exercises. In addition to these rehabilitation methods, it has been reported that neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) positively affects swallowing function. It is known that cortical reorganization occurs due to sensory restimulation following the exercises performed in dysphagia rehabilitation. It has been reported that swallowing rehabilitation may also have positive effects on neural plasticity in patients with dysphagia. It is essential to transfer approaches that support neural plasticity to swallowing rehabilitation. The starting point of action observation therapy (AOT), which has just entered the literature, is based on motor learning-based approaches used in neurological rehabilitation, neural plasticity, motor imagery, and mirror neurons. Based on the fact that both motor image and movement observation can play a role in (re)learning motor control, AOT aims to provide activation of motor areas with movement observation and to develop a rehabilitation approach based on performing the observed actions. The AOT method consists of two stages. First, videos of the exercises to be done are created, and in the first stage, patients are asked to watch the video by focusing only on the video. In the second stage, patients need to practice the exercises they follow themselves. In this way, it is thought that the effectiveness of both motor learning will be increased. When studies on patients with neurogenic dysphagia are examined, the use of AOT, which is a new approach, in swallowing rehabilitation has not been found. Therefore, in this study, the creation of an AOT program based on mirror neuron and motor learning theory and its effect on swallowing function and quality of life related to swallowing will be examined in patients with neurogenic dysphagia. The investigators aim to increase the healing efficiency of the AOT program in patients with neurogenic dysphagia.

Conditions

Neurogenic Dysphagia; Rehabilitation; Deglutition Disorders

Keywords

Neurogenic Dysphagia; Rehabilitation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Surface Electromyographic Measurements of the Suprahyoid Muscles

  yEMG, which provides practical objective data and provides electrical activation information directly from the relevant muscles, will measure the activation development in the muscles during the maximum voluntary isometric contractions to be made during a standard activity (drinking 10 ml of water). The EMG measurement to be applied to the participants will be done outside working hours in a way that will not disrupt routine patient functioning. The electrodes to be used in EMG will be covered by the researchers. This assessment will be applied before the start of the exercise program and at the end of the exercise program at the end of the 4th week.

  2 years

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Turkish Version of the Eating Assessment Tool-10 - T-EAT-10

  2 years

• Swallowing Ability and Function Evaluation-SAFE

  2 years

• Swallowing Quality of Life questionnaire (SWAL-QOL)

  2 years

• Beck Depression Scale

  2 years

Study Arms (2)

Action Observation Therapy Group

EXPERIMENTAL

In this method, patients will be seated in a comfortable chair in front of a 32-inch television placed approximately 2 meters away in a quiet room. On television, videos that will be used in swallowing rehabilitation prepared on realistic animations and/or real models will be shown to the patients. Patients will be asked to watch these exercise videos for 20 minutes with their full attention and concentrate on how the actions are done. Patients; While watching the videos, they will not be asked to do any movement, they will be asked to imitate the exercises after the videos are finished.

Behavioral: Action Observation Theraphy Group

Classic Swallowing Exercise Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Exercises include positioning, swallowing maneuvers, food modification, and swallowing exercises, which are sensory stimulation, oral motor exercises, head-neck mobilization, Shaker exercises, and neck region and tongue strengthening exercises, which are compensatory strategies according to the swallowing rehabilitation program accepted in the literature.

Behavioral: Classic Swallowing Exercise Group

Interventions

Action Observation Theraphy Group BEHAVIORAL

In this method, patients will be seated in a comfortable chair in front of a 32-inch television placed approximately 2 meters away in a quiet room. On television, videos that will be used in swallowing rehabilitation prepared on realistic animations and/or real models will be shown to the patients. Patients will be asked to watch these exercise videos for 20 minutes with their full attention and concentrate on how the actions are done. Evaluations to be made before starting the treatment program and finished; demographic information, Standardized Mini Mental Test, Turkish Eating Assessment Tool, Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFYC), Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS), Evaluation of Swallowing Ability and Function, Surface Electromyographic Measurements of Suprahyoid Muscles, Swallowing Quality of Life Questionnaire, Beck Depression Scale.

Action Observation Therapy Group

Classic Swallowing Exercise Group BEHAVIORAL

Exercises include positioning, swallowing maneuvers, food modification, and swallowing exercises, which are sensory stimulation, oral motor exercises, head-neck mobilization, Shaker exercises, and neck region and tongue strengthening exercises, which are compensatory strategies according to the swallowing rehabilitation program accepted in the literature. Evaluations to be made before starting the treatment program and finished; demographic information, Standardized Mini Mental Test, Turkish Eating Assessment Tool, Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFYC), Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS), Evaluation of Swallowing Ability and Function, Surface Electromyographic Measurements of Suprahyoid Muscles, Swallowing Quality of Life Questionnaire, Beck Depression Scale.

Classic Swallowing Exercise Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Being over 18 years old
• Having a neurological diagnosis
• Having been directed by a neurologist for the diagnosis of dysphagia, performed VFYC in the Department of Radiology, and having a Penetration Aspiration Scale score of 2 or higher as a result of VFYC
• Standardized Mini Mental Test score of 24 or higher

You may not qualify if:

• Receiving swallowing rehabilitation before
• Head and neck surgery deliveries and a history of other diseases involving swallowing difficulties
• Individuals with tracheostomy
• Any vision or hearing problems
• Cognitive status results from any other infection

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University

Zonguldak, Central, 67000, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Panebianco M, Marchese-Ragona R, Masiero S, Restivo DA. Dysphagia in neurological diseases: a literature review. Neurol Sci. 2020 Nov;41(11):3067-3073. doi: 10.1007/s10072-020-04495-2. Epub 2020 Jun 7.

  PMID: 32506360 BACKGROUND

• Rocca MA, Meani A, Fumagalli S, Pagani E, Gatti R, Martinelli-Boneschi F, Esposito F, Preziosa P, Cordani C, Comi G, Filippi M. Functional and structural plasticity following action observation training in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 2019 Oct;25(11):1472-1487. doi: 10.1177/1352458518792771. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

  PMID: 30084706 BACKGROUND

• Toksal Ucar A, Piri Cinar B, Alicioglu B, Bostan G, Bilgin S. Application of Action Observation Therapy in Swallowing Rehabilitation: A Randomised Controlled Study. J Oral Rehabil. 2025 Mar;52(3):320-331. doi: 10.1111/joor.13902. Epub 2024 Nov 26.

  PMID: 39599964 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Deglutition Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Esophageal Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Digestive System Diseases; Pharyngeal Diseases; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases

Study Officials

• Sevil Bilgin, Prof

  Hacettepe University

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Lecturer

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 7, 2023
• First Posted: March 24, 2023
• Study Start: April 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: January 20, 2024
• Study Completion: February 20, 2024
• Last Updated: March 20, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)