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Flexibility For Intensity Dosing In Lingual Resistance Exercises: A Large Randomized Clinical Trial In Typically Aging Adults As Proof Of Principle, Sarah Szynkiewicz, Teresa Drulia, Lindsay Griffin, Rachel Mulheren, Kelsey Murray, Theresa Lee, Erin Kamarunas

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders - Faculty Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of intensity dosing during tongue exercise on tongue pressure generation, adherence, and perceived effort.

Design: This was a five-site, prospective, randomized clinical trial. Outcome measures were obtained across multiple baselines, biweekly during exercise, and 4-weeks post-intervention.

Setting: The general community at each study site. Participants: Typically aging adults between 55–82 years of age with no history of neurological or swallowing disorders. Eighty-four volunteers completed the study.

Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to one of four exercise groups: (a) maximum intensity/no biofeedback, (b) progressive intensity/no bio- feedback, (c) maximum intensity/biofeedback, …

The Influence Of Side-Lying Position On Oropharyngeal Swallow Function In At-Risk Infants: An Exploratory Study, Julian White

Dissertations, 2020-current

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) are the primary healthcare providers responsible for the evaluation and treatment of infant feeding and swallowing disorders. At-risk infants, such as those born prematurely or with certain medical conditions, are more prone to swallowing impairments (i.e., dysphagia). Dysphagia in at-risk infants can have severe consequences such as chronic respiratory symptoms, pneumonia, progressive lung disease, undernutrition, and death. Therefore, it is important to have methods of examining an infant’s swallow functioning that are both safe and accurate. A leading method of evaluating infant swallowing is the Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBS). The works contained within this dissertation document …

Participant Accuracy And Impact Of Biofeedback On A Skilled Swallowing Task, Caris Giessler

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Biofeedback is as a visual way to self-assess muscle contraction, particularly during rehabilitative exercises. Speech language pathologists and otolaryngologists have investigated the use of visual biofeedback in swallowing therapy, especially for volitional swallowing rehabilitative exercises such as the effortful swallow, which requires the patient to maximally swallow with all their strength. In contrast to the effortful swallow, “effortful skilled swallowing” is the ability to swallow with a specific and precise amount of effort, which is an emerging topic in dysphagia research. Dysphagia, also known as disordered swallowing, can be an organic congenital disorder treated via feeding tubes, or an acquired …

Establishing Effective Amplitude Criterion For Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Lindsey Michele Schwenger

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

My honors project will document and reflect on my experiences as a member of a research team that is studying transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a treatment for dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, which affects a vast, diverse group of individuals. There is substantial need for more efficient and effective rehabilitation strategies used to restore abilities and reduce the risks associated with dysphagia. Recent studies have addressed these risks by exploring tDCS as a treatment for central nervous system damage caused by stroke, traumatic brain injury, and Parkinson's disease. Research has recently been conducted to test its effectiveness, but has …

The Effects Of Lung Volume On Swallowing In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Teresa C. Drulia

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a respiratory disease that leads to reduced airflow, may result in difficulty swallowing with disease progression. The coordination between the respiratory and swallowing systems decouple and they may experience increased risk of aspiration. This study aimed to determine the effects of lung volume on swallowing in individuals with COPD compared with older healthy. Specifically, the study examined if altering lung volume at the time of the swallow changed swallowing timing, specifically pharyngeal swallow duration, and impacted the respiratory-swallow pattern in individuals with COPD. Measurement of estimated lung volume (ELV), pharyngeal swallow duration, and respiratory-swallow patterning …

An Exploration Of Swallowing Stimulation In The Infant, Sarah Elizabeth Hegyi

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of this study was twofold: to determine the effects of two types of non-invasive, peripheral sensory stimulation on the frequency of infant swallowing and to explore the cortical activation patterns in response to stimulation in the somatosensory and motor regions of the brain during infancy, between 2-4 months and 7-9 months of age. The two different forms of mechanical stimulation investigated include pacifier stimulation to the lips and oral cavity and vibrotactile stimulation via the external throat area to the laryngeal tissues. The study represents a prospective, repeated experimental research design. Investigators utilized an accelerometer and an inductive …