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.

NCT Number	NCT07656844
Lead Sponsor	Ankara Etlik City Hospital
Conditions	Post-stroke Dysphagia, Oropharyngeal Dysphagia (OPD)
Enrollment	43 participants
Start Date	2025-07-01
Primary Completion	2026-05-31 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-05-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-06-24