Clinical Research Directory

Motor Imagery in Post-Stroke Dysphagia

This study evaluated the effects of motor imagery added to conventional swallowing rehabilitation in patients with dysphagia after stroke. Dysphagia, or swallowing difficulty, is a common problem after stroke and may increase the risk of aspiration, pneumonia, malnutrition, dehydration, and reduced quality of life. Participants with post-stroke dysphagia were randomly assigned to one of three groups: video-assisted motor imagery, motor imagery alone, or control. All participants received conventional swallowing rehabilitation. In addition, the video-assisted motor imagery group watched videos showing swallowing-related actions and then mentally imagined the observed movement. The motor imagery alone group performed mental imagery of swallowing without visual stimulation. The control group received only conventional swallowing rehabilitation. The intervention period lasted 4 weeks, with sessions performed twice weekly. Swallowing function was assessed before and after treatment using the Gugging Swallowing Screen, the Penetration-Aspiration Scale based on videofluoroscopic swallowing study, and the Stroke Impact Scale. The aim of the study was to determine whether motor imagery, especially when supported by video observation, provides additional benefit for swallowing recovery in patients with post-stroke dysphagia.

Acupuncture for Post-Stroke Dysphagia: A Clinical Study

Employing a nested design, a partially randomized preference study (Study II) is embedded within a prospective, multicenter cohort study (Study I). The cohort study, with acupuncture as the exposure factor, explores the clinical efficacy and health economic value of different integrated Chinese and Western medicine treatment protocols. The nested partially randomized preference study of different acupuncture protocols generates high-level evidence through randomized cohorts while supplementing real-world decision-making with preference cohort data.